Who pays for Search and Rescue operations for JMT hikers?

Everyday people go bankrupt for madical bills from accidents.
Is it right? No. Hiking in the wilderness, just like driving
to work, has its financial risks as well as health risks.

Talking about going to court over hurting yourself in a recreational activity when people come to your aid and
without negligence bothers me.

David, again, you misread me. I'm not a novelist so my sentences are not 100% clear sometimes. I never meant to say I'd take someone to court. It is just that if anyone took me to court because, my defense would be the truth. I hope nobody considers the truth to be offensive if used in the defense.

In any event, thanks to pursuing this topic and getting everybody's feedback, a simple solution was found — American Express Travel Insurance that is very affordable.

You might also look at the SPOT as it does let you have other
methods of communication that doesn't bring a full emergency
response.

It's cheaper for me to spend $30 to get the Travel Insurance and use the PLB (only in a dire emergency again) than buy SPOT. Also, the PLB uses a more reliable communication mechanism, especially after reading the SPOT reviews here. I figure for non-emergency situations where SPOT might be nice, that such situations can be considered nice but not essential. For some, obviously, SPOT might work.

I've been on SAR's for the National park, at that time the cost came out of the "special projects" budget fund. So, if there were too many lost hikers someone just didn't get their building or whatever special thing that fiscal year.