YESTERDAY was an upsetting day for me. I suddenly realized that our health care system was spiraling downward, out of control like a disabled aircraft, with a crash imminent. On that day, interactions with 3 patients and a group of my colleagues here at the University Medical Center, Tucson, Ariz, convinced me that we had entered a critical and frightening phase of health care—or rather lack thereof—in America. In this commentary, I would like to describe and discuss the 3 patients and their problems as well as the meeting that was held with my colleagues.