Episode 71 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS addresses one feature of the fragmented US health care system. Concierge Medicine is a health care model enjoyed by the wealthiest Americans. If one can afford the big price tag, one can secure the services of a doctor who acts more like a financial asset manager, who expedites the health care process for the client and provides them top of the line medical care and in a timely manner. However, compared to the rest of the first-world nations, the United States still lags behind in quality health care, even for the wealthiest Americans. Compared to the health care provided to regular folks in many European countries, even wealthy Americans get sicker and die earlier - on average - as compared to these everyday, working class Europeans. We will talk about a few reasons for this disparity.

BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends this episode with a reading of the poem, "To Health", by John Clare.

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