Katsmeow, notwithstanding your personal experience, the population data are very clear that an enormous, disproportionate amount of money is spent on providing healthcare at the end of life, particularly to elderly patients. Much of that effort is aimed at prolonging life for short periods and is often both futile and painful.
Forbes Welcome
"According to one study (Banarto, McClellan, Kagy and Garber, 2004), 30% of all Medicare expenditures are attributed to the 5% of beneficiaries that die each year, with 1/3 of that cost occurring in the last month of life."