By Sunny Aslam, M.D.
Syracuse (N.Y.) Post-Standard, September 8, 2017
To the Editor:
Dr. Dennis Nave writes a vital prescription in “Working Americans need affordable health care, quality education,” (Sept. 1, 2017). Those who build our economy should have what all other developed countries have: universal, guaranteed healthcare. We simply need the political will to get there.
Not only workers benefit from universal healthcare; businesses do. The New York Health Act — one state Senate sponsor away from a majority — would save employers billions by providing a simplified plan that covers all medically necessary care. Imagine your business model if all of your employees and customers have health coverage! State Sens. John DeFrancisco, Patty Ritchie and Pam Helming could tip the balance by sponsoring the New York Health Act.
Medicare-for-all (HR 676) in the U.S. House of Representatives has 117 co-sponsors. We need Republicans like Rep. John Katko, who voted against the American Health Care Act and supports Medicare, to sign on to expanded Medicare-for-all.
Let’s build a grassroots movement to fight the special interests that drain profit and burden the system with huge administrative costs. It will be hard work, but it can be done.
I recently spent hours navigating our wasteful healthcare morass: filling out paperwork for denied medications, trying to get people without insurance the care they need. I would love to see the day when we don’t have to ask patients what type of insurance they have because they are all covered. Please join the fight to help us all.
Dr. Sunny Aslam is a member of Physicians for a National Health Program.
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