LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

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.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By uddeboda

5/17/09 at 8:41 a.m.

Suggest removal

Cynthia,

You have a lovely dream, but I think you know deep down that it will never ever happen. Many countries in Europe have what you dream of, I live in one of them, and can vouch for the healthcare system we have as being absolutely first rate. Everyone is treated as equal, no "queue jumping", and if those who wish to queue jump, then they can travel to another country that has private hospitals and pay thru the nose, but thats their choice.
By Purgatory

5/17/09 at 10:44 a.m.

Suggest removal

...great idea Ms. Shiroky, except of course, that it will not work in the long run...all ideas of these types refuse to accept basic human nature in the model...simply stated -- you cannot force people to act in a way that is not in their best interest...among many examples, two obvious ones are: 'rich' people will get better health care because they will have the ability to pay people to care for them...and, consequently, doctors (competent ones) will accept money to provide that service...both groups will act in their best interest, just as I would and just as you would...to finish connecting the dots, 'we' will be left to fend for ourselves in a poorly allocated system with decreasing quality services, administered arbitrarily by government clerks, many of whom will be corrupt, which will eventually return us to competitive free market health care...it truly is that simple...why waste the decades that this experiment will require?
By uddeboda

5/17/09 at 12:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

Cynthia,

Dont be upset reading what "purgatory" has posted, because reading it was pure and unadulterated rubbish.

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