Kaye Byrnes
Ponte Vedra
Publication Date: 08/18/09
Editor: For years my family was insured at little cost through very good, employer-provided coverage. When we lost that coverage, we had to purchase our health insurance directly. It was hard to obtain and expensive. In less then four years, our premium has doubled. Everyone on the policy has a $2,500 annual deductible. Absurd "pre-existing conditions" are excluded. The health insurance industry, especially in Florida, is not competitive. Too many Floridians have no coverage, can't get coverage, can't afford coverage.
The health care delivery system is a mess. I managed my elderly mother-in-law's care for the last 10 years of her life. Duplicate tests and x-rays, blatant "working the system" to maximize Medicare payments, and an unbelievable amount of paper records. The delivery system and financial incentives to doctors, hospitals and pharmacies is totally messed up.
I support the legislative effort to reform our health care system -- there is no perfect, silver-bullet solution to the existing problems but a significant regulatory overhaul and a public option insurance plan would go a long ways towards giving all Americans decent coverage and a system to deliver quality care.
Those who are objecting so vehemently must have great coverage, not expect to lose that coverage, not care about the millions who are uninsured and fail to understand the impact the existing system has on our economy.
Wake up, folks -- it's time to restructure our health care system so it works for everyone.
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