Three years ago I found myself in a hospital ER overseas and learned a lesson about health care at home. I was in Turkey on business and got food poisoning from some street food I just couldn’t resist. The ER personnel were very professional, and the facilities similar to what we would find at home. After a few days I was discharged 10 pounds lighter, but otherwise healthy, and I had a pleasant surprise at checkout. The bill was a tenth of what it would have been in the U.S.
I have learned a great deal about health care during years of business travel – mostly that our system is badly broken and needs big, structural change.
Every other developed country has some form of universal access to health care. Even Turkey, a middle-income country, has universal medical insurance for its citizens. How is it that the very wealthy U.S. does not do at least this much? There is no reason, except for greed and indifference.
I support Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s approach to universal medical insurance, often called Medicare for All, because it is the best plan put forward by any candidate of either party to guarantee universal access to quality health care while also driving down costs.
Her plan involves a graduate transition over several years, taking into account the complexity of our health care system and ensuring that no one loses coverage, while providing physical and mental health care, dental, vision and more.
Typical of Sen. Warren, the plan is both bold and sensible. She has even spelled out how we will pay for it.
PHILLIP JAMES WALKER
Dunbarton