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Letters to the Editor: Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week
September 24th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: MEDICARE IS THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM!
July 30th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter To Editor
July 18th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Local Mom & Pop Business Offers Free Marketing Opportunity
June 21st, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Change is Once Again Happening in Cedar Key
June 14th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Oil Spill Claims Litigation Options Still Available
May 23rd, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter FROM the Editor
May 18th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Time for a New Face
May 18th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter to the Editor: Candidate Responds
May 10th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Thank You From Candidate
May 9th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter to the Editor: No Endorsement Given
May 9th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Save Gulf Hammock
April 11th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter to the Editor: What More Can We Do to Save Our Libraries?
March 28th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter to the Editor: Fireworks Viewed from Seat #2
March 11th, 2011
Letters to the Editor: Letter: Fishing and Aquaculture Producers Seek Assistance in BP Claims Process
February 6th, 2011
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MEDICARE IS THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM! | MEDICARE IS THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM!Amy Gernhardt July 30 marks the 46th Anniversary of Medicare`s passage, arguably one of the greatest public health treasures of the 20th century. Sadly, with the craze to fix nearly 30 years of deficit spending with the swoop of a pen, this great program is on the chopping block. Republicans and some Democrats seek to cut this "entitlement program" that, according to Representative Paul Ryan ("Ryan urges privatization of Medicare," April 13), is "bankrupting the federal government." I think this analysis fails to shed light on the real issue: administrative waste perpetrated by private health insurance companies. Because of their profit-driven focus, the health insurance industry drives up costs by spending 20% of every healthcare dollar on marketing, CEO`s salaries, etc. Medicare covers 45 million senior Americans and Americans with disabilities, yet its overhead costs are only 3%. Ryan`s plan to privatize Medicare and raise its eligibility age to 67 will only force rates to go up even more because this population of people, who in general have increased healthcare needs, will be thrust into the private market with a flimsy voucher to help pay for health costs. The way to fix our health and financial crises is by increasing and expanding Medicare for all - this will reduce administrative waste, allow the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug costs, increase the percentage of healthy people in the program, and centralize patients` medical information for improved quality of care. |
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