I’m glad for the treatment Mr. Burgess and the other gentleman in SOMC’s emergency room received — the heart facilities now offered there are amazing.
But I disagree with the description of Obamacare as “The Affordable Health Care Act.” We can’t afford it.
Businesses are afraid to hire because they don’t know what these new benefits will cost them. And when they do know, they can’t afford them. Yes, Britain and other European countries pay more costs than we do, but have you seen what’s happening to those countries? They’re going bankrupt. They can’t afford it either.
It’s true that many Republicans have been against universal health care, but they favor improving the present, flawed health care system. Their suggestions were ignored by the Democratically-controlled House and Senate when the health care bill was written. In fact, Republicans were ignored all together — our two-party government went out the window.
There are ways to improve health care in stages, without all the ugly surprises hiding in a bill so big that no one read it. (I don’t think the Catholic Church knew it would be paying for employees’ and students’ contraception, sterilization and abortions.)
Mr. Burgess cites Medicare as one way to help pay the expenses. Didn’t The Affordable Health Care Act take a whole lot of money out of Medicare to pay for itself? And Medicare is having a hard time financially as it is.
When President Barack Obama and his aides decided to name this bill “The Affordable Health Care Act,” they must have laughed ‘til they cried. I’ve been crying ever since they passed it.
Sue Lonney
Portsmouth
My wife visited the ER at SOMC last month. She had been very sick and was dehydrated. After much consideration, we decided to go to the ER to make sure she wasn't REALLY sick with something. The ER Doctor ordered some basic blood work and an x-ray. Thankfully, everything was normal and my wife got better after a few days of rest.
The point to all of this? We recieved the bill the other day and the total for the doctor, labs, x-ray and other services came to $1895. Almost two grand for a three hour trip! Thankfully she has insurance and we ended up spending $250 out of pocket. What about those with no insurance? What about those with the REALLY high deductibles? How many people don't go to the ER because of the staggering cost? How many people get worse and require even more expensive care? How many people die because they can not afford a trip to the ER?
I think that the Affordable Care Act did not go far enough. The role of a country/government is to provide for the welfare of its people. They do that by providing an army to protect us from foriegn invaders. Basic health care is a right that should be guarenteed to all citizens of the US as well.
Some in government will go to great lengths to protect the ones who are not even born and spend untold amounts of time, money and resources to do this but will scream and protest when some want to spend a little $$ on preventitive care for the living.
Some in government have no problem spending big $$$ on the latest plane or battleship or drone, but freak out when some try to provide for the basic welfare of its citizens.
I ask everyone out there what is more important. A two million dollar cruise missle that is sent to blow up some faceless Afgan or affordable health care?
The Answer should be easy for anyone with a caring heart...
I agree that the government is spending too much money OVERSEAS. How about we cut the defense budget? Why do we have bases in over 50 different countries all over the world? This is why we can not take care of our own people because we are being the world's policeman.
Also, if "Obama Care" goes away then we will see health care costs really skyrocket. There will be millions more Americans without insurance and that cost will be passed along to those that have insurance.
As long as YOUR taxes do not go up all will be OK Right? I hope you never need any social services...
Start reading your "weekly reader" --- National News and magazines.
GOP only favors 2 things, they can't remember 3 like that Texas Governor. More tax cuts for the 1%, and smaller government, regulations, so we can have another "full-blown" depression, dirty toxic lakes, air, rivers and cities.
Keep reading your talking points, citizen not using your own brain.