Letters
Berkshire Eagle
Tuesday, April 21
Dr. Susanne King (Eagle, op-ed, April 4) has again hit the nail on the head in asking citizens to support Sen. Bernie Sanders’ bill and Rep. John Conyer’s bill to truly reform health care by doing away with the current dysfunctional system of private health insurance plans and replacing it with an expanded and improved Medicare for All.
“The public plan option” now being discussed in Congress would not control costs as only 16 percent of the roughly $400 billion annually achieved by a single payer would be realized and would do nothing to streamline the administrative tasks (and costs) of hospitals, physicians’ offices, and nursing homes. They would still contend with multiple payers, and hence still need the complex cost tracking and billing apparatus that drives administrative costs.
In addition, a quarter century of experience with public/private competition in the Medicare program demonstrates that the private plans will not allow a level playing field. Despite strict regulation, private insurers have successfully cherry-picked healthier seniors and exploited regional health spending differences to their advantage. They have progressively undermined the public plan, which started as the single payer for seniors.
A public plan as one option will not lead toward single-payer, but toward the segregation of patients, with profitable ones in private plans and unprofitable ones in the public plan.
For these and other reasons, Berkshire Masscare and Physicians for a National Health Plan are asking people in the Berkshires to come out to support Single Payer Medicare for All during a nationally coordinated effort to achieve true equity in health care. There will be demonstrations in Wash D.C., major cities and elsewhere. Come to Park Square in Pittsfield on Friday from 5-6 p.m. to let the deciders know how you feel.
MICHAEL KAPLAN, M.D.
Lee
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_12189179