LETTER: Out-of-control health costs hurt

To the Telegram:

Medicare is a target of the deficit hawks. They say that Medicare is an “entitlement” and must be cut. The fact is we all spend our lifetimes paying for our future earned Medicare benefits. Cuts are aimed at the wrong target. We don’t have an “entitlement” problem. We have a broken health care system that costs much more than necessary.

We have the most expensive health care system in the world. It is causing fiscal problems for individuals, businesses and governments at all levels. Uncontrolled health care costs negatively impact our economy and government budgets, regardless of any benefit cuts to Medicare.

To solve the budget deficit, we must control private sector health care costs. Government health care services are purchased mostly from private sector providers and insurance companies. Medicare is provided by private sector doctors and hospitals.

If we control costs as well most European countries, health care for everyone would be affordable.

Conservatives have no plan to attack rising health care costs. Instead they plan to cut individual benefits by raising the Medicare age to 67. This shifts the burden to patients least able to afford — or control — the costs. This position is bad economically and is morally offensive.

Call, write, or email your elected representatives today. Tell them, “control costs, not cut benefits.”

Philip Anderson,

Maple

Tags: opinion, letters