For Americans who lack access to such bodies, there is eventually a safety net (whose effectiveness varies between states) for those who are old enough to qualify for Medicare, and poor enough to qualify for Medicaid, another federal programme.

ECONOMIST: End-of-life care

Agency net-benefit estimates also are notoriously wide-ranging, making it difficult to conclude anything about the effectiveness of the regulatory state on the whole.

FORBES: When Washington Fails a Cost-Benefit Test