Letters

The Caledonian Record To the Editor: John McLaughry’s Three Single Payer Health Care Systems (6/24) laments the state of VA healthcare, laments the state of Canadian healthcare and laments what he considers the inevitable failure of Vermont’s planned universal care system, Green Mountain Care. John McLaughry laments a lot. But John McLaughry doesn’t ever address […]

Caledonian Record To the Editor: Your editorial, When Government Runs Health Care (June 18) should give readers cause to reflect on one of the virtues of changing to a universal health care system for Vermonters by comparing Blue Cross Blue Shield to the Veterans Administration. Vermont BCBS is by Vermont law, a not-for-profit insurer; that […]

Burlington Free Press As we get closer to actually implementing Act 48, Vermont’s universal single-payer health care system in 2017, the pressure to dilute the act through compromise has proportionally increased. The extremely well-financed opponents of single-payer universal health care for whatever reason — be it self interest, ideology or party affiliation — have only […]

The Times ArgusBy: Jerry Kilcourse, MontpelierThe recent article in The Times Argus by Peter Hirschfeld “Increases fuel single-payer debate” should call attention to our overly complicated and administratively heavy health care system. Until it is simplified with a universal/single-payer plan for all, health care costs will never be reduced or even contained. It is a systemic […]

Bennington BannerBy: G. RICHARD DUNDAS, Bennington We read in the Banner that as many as 40 Veterans may have died in Phoenix because they could not get needed care at the VA hospital. This is truly outrageous (surely an overused adjective but probably better than disgraceful). We must do better for our Veterans. Here is […]

Bennington BannerBy: Lee Russ, BenningtonI read Weiland Ross’s April 29 column (Not a nothing burger) attacking Green Mountain Care (GMC) and could only shake my head. He says Vermont is currently providing good care to most of our people. If so, how does he explain the fact that the physicians most aware of what healthcare […]

Bennington Banner By: John Ransom, Readsboro Perhaps the most important phrase in the Vermont Health Reform Law is universal access and coverage. It means that all Vermonters have the right to an umbrella of health protection without barriers. This is a vital principle. As the legislature now considers the financing of this reform, it must […]

 Times Argus By: Walter Carpenter, Montpelier I would like to thank The Times Argus for the editorial “Practical and moral,” in its April 12 edition. In it the Argus cites figures by the economist Paul Krugman that “7,000 to 17,000 people are likely to die each year as a result of the decision by about […]

 Valley News By: Chuck Gregory, Springfield Megan McArdle’s piece (“Vermont Single-Payer: Show Me the Money,” April 17) about the unaffordability of universal health care is way off the mark. If Vermont were its own country, it would rank 20th in per-capita GDP — $38,198, according to data from the Central Intelligence Agency (2005). Adjusted for […]

 Rutland Herald By: CHARLES GREGORY, Springfield About “Time Crunch” (April 20): Who would have guessed when the Legislature asked consultant Thorpe for a “Plan B” that he would serve them something other than leftovers? Well, at least his ideas were better than the well-known Republican plan of, “Don’t get sick, but if you do, die […]