"Why We Must Ration Health Care" by Peter Singer. New York Times Opinion Section.

Unfortunately this is a very difficult conversation to have between people and their physicians, between family members, and with ourselves. It ties into another very difficult discussion of facing death. In a democracy the lowest common denominator argument wins out with catchy slogans, in-group signaling, burying uncomfortable facts, avoiding short term sacrifice, and/or wielding anecdotes instead of rational analysis. Thus the rationing happens when it is least effective - during a crisis when significant human, monetary, and time resources are drained. And not much earlier when some planning and hard work could greatly ease the burden.