I would like to comment on two recent pieces in the Banner:
First, Bob Stannard, who usually gets things right, says that Obamacare will provide universal health care. In truth, it will not. When Obamacare is fully implemented, there will still be 35,000,000 Americans without health insurance. This is not universal health care.
Second, there is the story about police officer Nick Colanerie who has Hodgkins lymphoma and who will lose his health insurance before he finishes his very expensive treatment. A colleague is trying to raise money by asking for donations to the website GoFundMe. This is certainly admirable, but is a Bandaid on a gaping wound. How long will we let health insurance corporations avoid insuring citizens who really need coverage? Why is it necessary to fund health care with tag sales and spaghetti suppers?
Every other industrialized nation provides better health care at much less cost, and provides it to everyone. The solution is to get rid of the insurance companies and institute improved Medicare for all.
— G. Richard Dundas, MD Bennington