Seconded! Thirded and fourthed, even. In the high and far off times, the US, too, had care homes and mental hospitals. Sure, there were huge problems with some of them. But dumping the sick out on the street hasn't worked out real well for us. Now we're gradually realizing that some people simply have to be cared for. But it's been too long since that was the standard way of doing things. (Some three whole decades. Who can remember that far back?) So we get the tired old myths about luxury hotels for deadbeats and welfare queens in Cadillacs. You know what? That didn't happen back in the day, nor does it happen in First World countries that treat citizens like human beings. What's not a myth is that worrying about deadbeats costs real money. The average cost of medical care in "socialized" Europe is around $2700 per person. In the US it's closer to $5500, for much less care. A lot of that extra cost is lots of duplicate insurance companies, each with their own army of beancounters who do nothing but figure out how to deny care. The lesson is clear. If you want to save money, put the deadbeats in hotels and the insurance beancounters out on the street.