Your Opinion: U.S. lacks meaningful health-care coverage

Dear Editor:

America is the only modern country that does not have healthcare for all its citizens. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence he had a vision of a government that would assure its citizens of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." For me that means an America that provides health care to all Americans.

We do not lead and are absolutely at the bottom of all modern health care systems around the world. Why? It's not because our doctors or hospitals are bad! They are good. We fail because our delivery system is the only one that attempts to sell healthcare. We sell medical services and if you cannot pay, you will not receive health care.

There is no meaningful healthcare coverage outside of healthcare insurance coverage. Go Fund Me sites and community events to help those with catastrophic health costs are not likely to cover the costs of significant healthcare issues. Conservatives who advocate this kind of alternative health care coverage don't understand health economics.

A friend who until recently was healthy and farming almost every week, just had a pacemaker inserted. "I thought it would cost $100,000!" he said. It's an overnight procedure. I guessed $150,000. The bill was $130,000.

Who has a spare $130,000? With capitalism, we should shop around for the best price. Really? Or will your church, friends or a Go Fund Me site help pick up the cost? If you think that, you will be sadly disappointed. Try to get the best deal you can under an emergency healthcare situation and you will still be saddled with huge costs.

A triumphant Republican party is presently trying to pass a healthcare bill that will deprive 20 to 30 million citizens of healthcare coverage. If they accomplish this, it will do far more than deprive and kill poor people. These bills will force our entire healthcare system into turmoil.

Unlike the ACA process, Republicans have had virtually no hearings nor have they taken testimony from healthcare experts and interested parties. Even many Republicans have been left in the dark. This is like going on a flight in which the pilot filed no flight plan nor did he check the weather conditions. Why has America reached such a stage of irresponsible chaos?

What has happened to Lincoln's America which he described as " a government of the people, by the people and for the people"?