By William M. Fogarty Jr., M.D.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Letters, July 20, 2015
On July 30, Medicare will celebrate its 50th birthday. This program has been a resounding success for the elderly and disabled of our country and is firmly embedded in our culture and medical care system. It has improved the health of the nation’s elderly and removed the threat of medical impoverishment that loomed over them before its enactment.
Medicare is not perfect and fails to cover many necessary services, but it is the basis upon which we can build a health care system that would cover all Americans, improve the health, economy and security of the country and save billions of dollars every year.
We have a mechanism to replace our incredibly inefficient, wasteful and complex system right before our eyes. It is improved and expanded Medicare for All.
Dr. William M. Fogarty Jr. resides in Webster Groves.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/mailbag/expand-medicare-to-improve-nation-s-health-care-system/article_65b6c3c7-75a7-5fc4-844f-1519d0b8ccd7.html