I assume you worked for a subsidiary of GE.

At any rate, the "huge administrative and bureaucratic overheads" you encountered were nothing compared to those involved in running the Federal Government. At most you were probably 5-8 rungs down the ladder from the top. You might have even bumped into Jack Walsh once or twice.
Go to work for a government agency. if your at the bottom of the ladder, you have probably 16 rungs of the ladder above you before you get to a political appointee who reports to a political appointee who reports to the Department head.

So of every dollar of medicare taxes collected, maybe 25 cents makes it to someone who is in desparate need of seeing a doctor.

In fact, I can tell you without a doubt that much of the "huge administrative and bureaucratic overheads" you encountered in private industry were the direct result of mandates handed down by the Federal Government bureaucracy. (the Tax Department, Safety Department, and Human resources Department are three areas that are almost entirely driven by rules and regulation set by the government. You would be suprised how much influence those three departments exercise over EVERY decision made in private business)

Scott