By Anne Scheetz, M.D.
Chicago Tribune, Letters, Sept. 24, 2012
Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians are on strike because the CSO Association and the Orchestra Members Committee cannot agree on how to share the cost of health insurance premiums ā only the latest of many labor disputes around escalating health care costs. Meanwhile, in 2009, the top executives of the nation’s five largest health insurance companies received $200 million in total compensation; Edward Hanway, CEO of Cigna, retired with a $73 million bonus; UnitedHealth Group earned $3.82 billion in net income, and its CEO reportedly earned more than $8 million.
The CSO brings pleasure to millions, insurance companies deny claims and we see who is rewarded.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
If we get rid of health insurance companies with their bloated bureaucracies for marketing, underwriting and claims denial, as well as their profits and outrageous executive compensation, and instead enroll every person in the country in expanded and improved Medicare for all (also called single payer), we can cut our health care administrative costs in half. The $400 billion in savings generated is enough to pay for all necessary health care for everyone. We can have music and health care.
Anne Scheetz, M.D., resides in Chicago.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-music-and-healthcare-20120924,0,6378965.story