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Seek answers to health care costs

DEAR EDITOR:

You would think that after eight years, the Republicans would have a health care plan ready to go on the first day that was affordable, allowing choice of health providers, allowing competition in the market and doing away with the penalty.

After years of blowhard blustering from the Republicans to repeal and replace the ACA, we had a bill that looked a lot like Obamacare light, which fails miserably to fix the root cause of health care costs. The Democrats are just as guilty for not assisting in replacing ACA that is killing job growth and the middle class. Instead of working together for the betterment of all, they act like petulant children who want to cry and complain publicly without working together for a solution.

This is the failure of our two-party system. Once elections are over, neither side wants to roll up their sleeves and get to work on matters that affect the average citizen. Instead, they’re looking toward the next election and how to ensure that their party is in power. Meanwhile, the taxpayers are pulverized by every poor decision that puts an additional burden on their household budget.

You have to wonder why neither side has taken on the root cause of our health care crisis, which is the cost.

Why does a visit to the doctor cost so much? Why does an ER visit cost in the thousands? Why does an MRI or CAT scan cost $3,000 to $4,000 in our country and $100 or less elsewhere? Why do drugs made in the U.S. cost four to five times more than the same drug purchased in Canada? Why is neither side questioning the actual cost of health care services rather than insurance costs?

Cost for health care has always been high, but ever since the insurance industry weaved its way into the mix, the cost for services has increased exponentially. True cost for services rendered is never known ahead of time. Not knowing the true cost seems to reinforce poor health habits as people are now failing to take care of themselves because insurance will pay the bill if anything goes wrong. If you are receiving help through the ACA, then you support it; if you are the one paying extraordinarily high premiums and deductibles and are forced to change doctors, then you oppose it.

The question is when do we hit the tipping point where payers become uninsured because they can’t afford to keep paying for those who don’t pay? There’s no victory for either party, but a defeat for all.

TIM SANTELL

Kinsman

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