Now that this nation is going to be faced with a full-blown attempt to get rid of the Affordable Care Act (with no idea of what will replace it), this is a perfect time for people to raise their voices in favor of the only health care finance system that will work, long term, for the United States — Medicare for all.
Every industrialized country in the world, and some that are not industrialized, have systems that provide universal health care at half the price that people in the United States are paying.
The U.S. wastes billions of dollars and still leaves people without coverage, people who die as a result, and people who suffer medical bankruptcy. As long as the profit motive underlies health care financing, costs will rise, with 20 to 30 percent (called “overhead”) going into the pockets of insurers, drug companies and equipment manufacturers. With Medicare, overhead is 3 percent, and it can set reasonable limits on fees, drug costs and the price of equipment.
Not only does the nation save money, but coverage will be universal.
John Sytsma, Farmington
Send questions/comments to the editors.
