Letter – Reader expresses concern about healthcare reform

Letter to the Editor:
If you care to read the complete bill as proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives go to: http//bit.ly/LdzqU and you may read all 1,018 pages of the proposed bill. Right click anywhere in the text and you will be guided with a search engine, and you will need it. Has anyone actually read the entire bill?

We seem to inject politics into

the dialog about this legislation. For example: Will it cover abortions and will it promote euthanasia in place of care for the elderly?

As a senior citizen, 67 years old, I am more concerned about medical care in my advanced years. Before turning 65 my monthly health insurance premium exceeded $550 with a $5,000 deductible. Now that I am Medicare eligible my monthly premiums have decreased to approximately $300.

The last time I visited my physician, I waited two and a half hours before actually visiting with my doctor for about 15 minutes. My options are limited – not many physicians will take new Medicare patients. My Lipitor is supplied through Canada via New Zealand [from an Internet website]. The cost is less than half of the price at our local Lockhart pharmacies.

I have read portions of the proposed bill; however, I am uncertain about improved coverage under this new plan. I am concerned about new taxes proposed to pay for this new health insurance program and the deficit spending of the Obama Administration to re-start the economy.

A $1 trillion stimulus package intended to have an impact on a $15 trillion economy? I read recently the executives of a bankrupt company were to receive $15 million bonuses for their efforts to bring a company out of bankruptcy!

Where is the logic in this type of spending?

Fifteen and twenty million-dollar bonuses being earned by top executives of fortune 500 companies and sports legends earning multi-million dollar salaries.

Perhaps we need to be concerned about executive and sports salary spending in this country instead of trying to fix Medicare. Certainly something needs to be done about those not covered by health insurance.

But at what expense? Certainly those earning less than $30,000 per year cannot spend one quarter of their disposable income on health insurance (the current cost of health insurance for one family member).
William R. Cline
Lockhart