Letter: U.S. should move to national health insurance plan

The St. Anthony's Book Study group, after careful consideration, believes we need to move to a universal, single-payer national health insurance plan.

It would work with no deductible or co-insurance, but with co-pays for specialty care and prescription drugs, funded by centrally collected taxes that everyone pays. It is modeled after the Commonwealth Fund rankings of other countries, which provide reasonable healthcare costs and encourages people who can afford it to buy private insurance. We could use this system, which would afford us better healthcare and wouldn't limit gaps in coverage or leave our citizens at risk for personal bankruptcy. This type of healthcare will give us an opportunity to live longer and provide options for choosing a plan you like. We need the American public to be educated, engaged and the need for coalition building, which is compatible with the American culture.

By educating the public about the flaws of the U.S. healthcare system consideration should be given to the fact that the United States could save $500 billion conservatively in healthcare costs, which would create a larger net tax reduction on workers, businesses, and the public.

We invite you to educate yourself by reading Dr. Brad Spellberg's "Broken, Bankrupt, and Dying," which provides an excellent resource of how our healthcare system can be improved, so you can come to your own conclusion on the benefits of a universal, single payer national insurance plan.

Nancy Stone

St Anthony's Book Study

St. Anthony's Catholic Church

Davenport