Do the civilized thing; protect the health of all

It is wrong that our great nation permits its citizens to work and save and obey the rules throughout their productive years, only to be left destitute and dependent on charity should their health fail or an accident befall them.

We spend far more, both per capita or by share of gross domestic product, than any other country, but get health care that is inferior to nearly every advanced nation on Earth. Of course, this is not true for the wealthy; they get care that is first rate.

For what is being paid today, we could have quality health care for every one of our citizens and contribute about $750 billion a year to extinguishing the national debt. All we would have to do is reduce per-capita cost to that of Norway, the country with the world's second most expensive medical system on a per-capita basis.

For decades, representatives from both parties have betrayed the public interest, selling out to the health insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies.

The current House bill will prove a boon to Big Pharma and the insurers and all too likely will cause costs to rise.

Which of the many models of "socialized medicine" we adopt is less important than that we do adopt one; we must join the rest of the world's advanced economies and protect the health of our citizens. It is the only civilized thing to do.

Michael McEachern

Beaufort