Hi, my name is Jane Solow, I'm a retired RN who worked in a clinic, and I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I believe that we have to do something about medical care in the US. Too many people have little access to medical or dental care that is comprehensive and affordable. At this time when so many employers are refusing to provide health coverage as a benefit, or making the employees pay a high percentage of the cost, a lot of us must decide between insurance coverage or having enough of a check left to pay our bills. Another thing that impacts our healthcare is that, if you lose or change jobs, you may be, at least temporarily, without insurance. My feeling is that we need a universal health plan for everyone, as so many other countries have done.

The argument against it that I hear the most, are fear of the government being involved in our healthcare decisions, and the cost. Right now, the insurance companies have all of the power, and make a great many decisions for us. They determine which drugs and treatments will be covered, which doctors you can see, and have access to all of your health records. Most newer drugs and treatments are considered "experimental", and are not covered at all, even when there is a great deal of success with them. In the past, we had insurance which allowed us to go to any doctor we chose. If I had a health issue, I could call and make an appointment with a specialist I respected, and whose work I was familiar with, as a nurse. Now, we must all pick a primary care provider, and be referred to someone of his, or her, choosing, who also participates with the insurance company. This involves a visit to the PCP first, so there are two co-payments instead of one, it can delay treatment, and we may not like the doctor chosen for us. How is this any different than government interference? Most of the people from other countries with universal health coverage that I have talked to are able to pick any doctor because they are all covered. I think it's possible that our health issues may be kept more private, between our doctors and ourselves, than they are now.

The amount it would cost, could be paid for in a lot of different ways. The amount that companies pay for insurance now would be a start, and any companies with a large number of employees should pay their share. If we had insurance for everyone, it would free up money we now spend on the poorly managed Medicaid and Medicare programs. The big threat is a tax increase, but we might be able to handle even that, if we didn't have to pay so much for our own insurance and medical care.

We must do something to provide quality health care for everyone. Many families do not qualify for Medicaid programs. Either they have a higher income than allowed, or they have too many assets. The message seems to be that if you are able to own a home, you don't need insurance, because you have something you can sell to pay your medical bills. If we can afford to finance a war, which is killing and injuring a great many of our strong, healthy young people, in a faraway country, which may not even welcome our help, surely we can afford healthcare for our own citizens.

Let's do something!

Thanks,
- Jane