Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter to the editor:

Single payer the way to go

Like many of my European and Canadian military colleagues, I just shake my head at the ludicrous, inefficient and patchwork health care system we Americans tolerate.

As a 70-year-old retired military officer, I’ve never had to buy private health insurance and have found the many single-payer systems I’ve used have been far superior to my relatives’ private policies. Unlike private insurance, which dictates which network doctor you can use, Medicare and military Tricare allow me to pick my own doctor. I’ve never had a doctor reject either of those single-payer systems.

My experience using the British National Health Service when I was assigned there was also positive, providing my child with excellent quality care. Even the much-aligned VA system provides me very good service. While it is rare for Canadians to come over here for health care, it is more common for Americans to go to Canada to buy prescription drugs as most countries except ours control drug prices. The Affordable Care Act is a good first step, morally better than the current GOP plans, but a public option would show many Americans that private, for-profit insurance is not really the right solution for our nation’s health needs. If there is any doubt among your readers, have them ask any senior how he or she likes having Medicare.

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