By Richard Damon, M.D.
The Montana Standard (Butte, Mont.), Letters, Nov. 14, 2013
If you had choices, would you keep the health care insurance coverage you have if you had comprehensive, accessible, affordable, quality, insurance from birth to death, free choice of physician and hospital, no co-pays, no deductibles, no monthly premiums, no more hassle with private insurers, no more threat of medical bankruptcy, and the security that comes with knowing that you will not be one of the thousands who die needlessly because of health rationing imposed by private insurers who provide insurance based on age, gender, health history, or what health care costs have been paid out because of your chronic condition?
Would you choose insurers that focus on profits as their primary objective instead of covering care?
Would you choose to not worry that your sick asthmatic child has to repeatedly end up in the ER?
Would you be willing to pay a modest increase in your taxes to know that whatever health condition you may develop in the future, it would be covered?
Would you choose a program of health care that provides preventive care to prevent illness, and readjusts the distribution of health care providers so care is available to both rural and urban folks?
Would you like to rest at night and not worry about the symptoms that are growing in frequency and intensity that keep you awake?
Would you like to rid yourself of the worrying that your employer might cut your insurance previously provided to you?
Well, you have choice of a single-payer healthcare system, HR 676. The challenge is to speak out, joining a loud national voice to demand it be done.
Write or call your congressional members now.
If you do nothing you are acting like Congress.
You will choose to not make a choice. Your voice can change things.
Dr. Richard Damon resides in Bozeman.
http://mtstandard.com/news/opinion/mailbag/ourreadersspeak-support-hr-it-provides-single-payer-healthcare-system/article_c24b2de8-4ccd-11e3-ae1c-001a4bcf887a.html