Single-payer system is most trustworthy

Cynthia Shiroky, Las Vegas

Sunday, May 17, 2009 | 2:03 a.m.

It is past time for our country to have universal health care. I am in favor of a single-payer health care program that would cover every citizen. Good health care ought not to be a luxury that only the wealthy can afford.

We are all aware of scandals associated with the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries when they don’t give the coverage promised and overcharge for their products.

I do not trust these industries to self-regulate or to keep the public’s best interest at heart. Their profit margin appears to be what interests them. A single-payer health care program would regulate both industries and not have to award bonuses and other monetary giveaways, thus saving money for the taxpayers.

A single-payer system would be set up so that a government-run organization would collect all health care fees and pay all health care costs. All hospitals, doctors and other providers would bill the one entity for their services.

This would save a lot of money on paperwork, administration costs, etc., and provide very good health care for all. We the people deserve to have a health care program as good as our senators and representatives in Washington have.