By Ewell Scott, M.D.
Lexington (Ky.) Herald Leader, Letters, March 24, 2015
Thanks to Gov. Steve Beshear’s foresight and preparation in creating a state-run health insurance exchange, rather than leaving it to the federal government.
Kentuckians who purchased policies with subsidies will not be at risk to lose coverage, if the U.S. Supreme Court shuts down subsidies in states that don’t have exchanges. Nationally, some 8 million patients may lose coverage. Even though Medicaid has its problems in terms of its managed-care manipulations and low compensation rates, the coverage is better than none at all.
However, the Affordable Care Act, even fully implemented, will not achieve the goal of affordable, universal health insurance. Some 30 million will remain uninsured.
The system we now have is grotesquely expensive and complicated. We spend 17 percent of our gross domestic product on health care. Other countries do it for 8 percent to 10 percent of GDP, and do it better. We can improve by expanding Medicare for all of us and eliminating private health insurance companies.
By so doing, enormous savings would occur. High deductibles, enormous co-pays and exaggerated medication costs would be eliminated. It is possible. Think about it. House Resolution 676, now introduced in Congress, will do it.
Dr. Ewell G. Scott resides in Morehead, Ky.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2015/03/23/3764427_letters-to-the-editor-march-24.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy