Dear Editor

Our current health care system is going away – collapsing on its own as its costs reach unaffordability. We do have excellent doctors, hospitals and treatments, but not for the 50 million people who cannot afford insurance. America has the most expensive and least effective system on the planet (healthy life expectancy, infant mortality and patient satisfaction.) Changing the system is urgent and necessary! Health care costs are a factor in most bankruptcies and many home foreclosures. Unlike with most goods and services people don’t know when they will need health care. When they do need it – say in the case of heart failure –the cost is often prohibitive.

Twenty years ago Switzerland had the same problems we are now experiencing – overuse of emergency facilities and skyrocketing costs. They came to the conclusion that everyone had to buy insurance and they reformed their system along the lines of Obama Care. Now, two decades later quality of care remains very high, everyone has access and costs have moderated. .Insurance is not tied to their employers. They can choose among many plans. Overall satisfaction is high.

This is accomplished at 11 percent of GNP while ours costs us 17 percent of the GNP and leaves 50 million people without insurance.

Why has the Affordable Care Act been vilified? Do you mind that preventive care is covered?

Is it so bad that there is a medicare prescription rebate? Do we really mind that there is a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs for seniors? What mother does not rejoice that her young adult child can be covered until age 26? What really sticks in our craw is being forced to buy insurance. Get over it! Without that it would be very difficult for insurance companies to provide insurance at any affordable cost. For those who want to take burdens off of businesses, please be advised that when this plan becomes fully effective the American businessmen will no longer be required to pay the tens of billions of dollars they must now pay for health insurance. Additional advantages of the enactment of the law in 2014 include :insurance that is not tied to your job, coverage regardless of preexisting medical conditions, coverage for preventive care, no lifetime cap of benefits that many policies now include ,plus some assistance with insurance premiums for those with limited income.

Please give this prayerful consideration. Our brothers and sisters across America all deserve a chance at good health.

Edna Foster

Silverette Circle