Letter: Look carefully at insurance industry

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006 | 7:10 a.m.

The health insurance industry, which has been in discussions with the pharmaceutical industry, is currently presenting a proposal to the federal government to extend insurance coverage to the approximately 47 million Americans without coverage. This is the same industry that opposed the Clinton administration's efforts to reform the health care system.

It should be noted that its proposal does not contain a bargain-down provision to reduce costs and does not preclude exclusion of those Americans in poor health.

The New York Times estimates that the insurance industry, which had profits of $43 billion last year, will make $60 billion this year. Its proposal would extend federal and state health care programs, which would funnel more money to insurance providers by providing federal grants to states to increase coverage and allowing tax credits for the purchase of private insurance.

Currently, major insurance company profits are increasing at 10 to 13 percent per year while individual incomes are increasing at 3.8 percent. Personally, I can't see granting those companies more of my money. A governmental, universal-coverage plan as seen in every industrialized country except the U.S. makes a great deal more sense.

Wallace J. Henkelman, Henderson

Editor's note: The writer is a nursing lecturer at Nevada State College.