We can’t afford not to reform health care

Pam Stratton, Las Vegas

Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009 | 2:04 a.m.

The economic effect on the middle class of not reforming health insurance is my biggest concern. For lesser coverage, my own out-of-pocket expenses have almost doubled in just the past few years. Projections, according to the Council of Economic Advisers, are that these increases will become more dramatic if we stick with the status quo.

If the percentage of our income needed to pay for health insurance increases more and more, fewer and fewer individuals and businesses will be able to afford it.

According to healthreform.gov, which is operated by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, “since 2000 alone, average family premiums have increased by 61 percent in Nevada.”

We need reform badly to rein in unfair practices and premiums of health insurance and pharmaceutical companies. We also desperately need to include a public option in our list of choices. Without it, the private insurers will have little or no incentive to improve, and we will continue to pay exorbitant premiums for ourselves and to cover the costs of uninsured people using services.