Without reform of health care in controlling costs will not

 

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Copyright 2009 Gannett Company, Inc.All Rights Reserved USA TODAY

9 March 2009 Monday FINAL EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg 10A

LENGTH: 528 words


TITLE: reform health care without controlling costs will not



Finally, the basic problems with the idea of government-paid, universal health care were identified. USA TODAY's editorial on the subject is on the spot. The U.S. government just to pay health insurance, without cost controls lead to another financial disaster ( "Obama holds health summit, but he bust the budget?" Our point of view, the debate medical service, Wednesday).

Anyone who has recently had bills hospital knows how high the cost may be.

In the Detroit area, a hospital has luxurious facilities. He announced the amenities without apparent concern about who will pay for them. He even hired a former director of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. as CEO.

I fear that the lobby of health care is far too powerful to allow for cost control. Good for USA TODAY, however, to emphasize what should be done.

Mark Botkin

Rochester, Michigan

Increase awareness

The opposite view in the debate on medical services was written by Elise Gould, director of health policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, whose board is composed largely of labor union officials ( "No time for shyness).

More remarkable is that, like all great champions of government, Gould dances around the topic of socialization of medicine and universal (read: taxpayer-funded) health care. For them, it is always to help the poor, the indigent and uninsured at the expense of taxpayers, whether necessary or not.

Most Americans have no "skin in the game," as some say. Because the majority of them are covered by employer sponsored health plans, they have no idea what is the cost of medical services and care is not because it is a tax-free part of their wages. I have been affiliated with the health care industry for many years, and our problems are of ignorance of the cost base and excessive government regulation.


If you like you the effectiveness of Congress, the Postal Service and the Department of Motor Vehicles, go ahead and implement national, socialization of health care. Let me out.

Robert L. Deehan

Lansing, Michigan

Single-payer system

The United States spends more on health care than any other industrialized country. Yet, life expectancy in the United States is lower than many countries, including most of Europe, where a single payer system has actually strengthened the prevention and reduction of financial stress scenarios more than 50 years.

Insurance companies and health groups to pressure the supplier greed of the United States have kept the American public in the dark and poorly served.

In reforming our nation's troubled health care system, President Obama would do well to seriously consider the unique system of payer. It is very successful and also compatible with the principles of accountability and integrity of his administration wants to enact.

John Preudhomme

Blue Springs, Mo.

Stop advertising

One way to reduce the costs of medical services in the United States to stop drug companies' direct advertising of prescription drugs to the public. We also do not miss hearing about the risks of death or erectile dysfunction watching television sports events with our children and grandchildren.

Susan Pearson

Columbia, s.c.

GRAPHIC: PHOTO, B / W, Matthew Putney, AP

LOAD-DATE: 9 March 2009



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