LETTER: Let’s establish a health care system that would really work

Believe me there is a big difference between the two. Insurance for all of us means we will all be paying for health insurance. This does not mean we will have better health care it only means we will all have insurance and that for the insurance companies is, as the say, “Money in the bank!”

The idea that insurance will make health care better is just not true! What it will do is put your health care in the hands of an industry where profit, not your health, is the most important thing. When it comes down to your health or their profits which way do you think the decisions will go? Which way have they gone in the past? We don’t need insurance. What we need is quality health care that’s affordable and available to every one. A plan where your health, not cost, is always the first consideration and what you need to stay healthy is available to you when you need it. To accomplish this health care needs to be wrestled away from the profiteers and speculators of the for profit system we now have. The only way to make that happen is to have a government, we the people, run single payer national health care system.

There are already countries that have this type of health care system in place and it works well. In fact, the top health care systems in the world are set up this way. For those of you who believe we have the best system in the world look at this fact. According to the World Health Organization, France is first and has a national health care system in place. We are rated 37th — right behind Costa Rica and Dominica and right in front of Slovenia. That’s quite a ways from the best and leaves plenty of room for improvement.

We need to work towards a health care system that puts people in front of profit. Don’t be swayed by those crying out that it’s too expensive. We already pay the most for the health care we receive and with a 37th rating it would appear that we’re not getting what we’re paying for. National health care would not be free, but it may actually cost you less than you’re paying now. Consider the fact that almost everything you buy, your car, your home, your food, almost everything has health care costs to the company who supplies it built into the price. You are paying for that health care! Every time you make a purchase you’re paying for someone else’s health care.

With a well-designed and thought-out health care system in place, some of these hidden costs would be eliminated. Paying less for the things we buy could easily offset the cost to you for a national health care system. The key to a successful system is taking the necessary time to make it right for every one.

We should not be rushing to get something (anything) in place before the end of this year. Anything will just not work! Another year or two or three spent on working out all the details is really not that long a time to wait for a system that will provide quality health care at an affordable price for every one. Let’s slow down, stop all the yelling, and work towards a health care system that would really work. Once that’s accomplished we just might find we would all feel better.

Sincerely,

Drago Tesanovich