Catastrophic Care Controversy

As a senior citizen in affluent Orange County, I am aware that I am in a distinct minority when I say that I favor the catastrophic health care bill and would like to see it retained. My lonely voice is all but drowned out by the shrill cries of outrage by those who feel that it is unfair to ask them to help pay for their own care.

Senior citizens with resources requiring the payment of income taxes are not living in poverty. That is doubly true for those whose bill would reach the maximum of $800. With the increasing cost of medical care, a prolonged illness could make serious inroads on the resources of even those resources. It seems reasonable to me that we should be willing to pay when we are able rather than leaving a continuing increase of deficit spending for our grandchildren to pay at a time when there will be a much smaller ratio of contributors to beneficiaries.

It is true that many high resource seniors may not benefit from catastrophic care provisions as they have other coverage. They can depend upon that particular bete noire of the self-anointed consumer protectors (read: Harvey Rosenfield)--the insurance companies. But what about the millions of those who do not have and cannot afford that luxury? Prior to becoming eligible for Medicare, private medical insurance through group rates was costing me in excess of $200 per month and rising each year. I was still required to pay 20% of medical costs after an annual deductible.

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) cites 3,000 letters with not one supporting catastrophic care. I question his statement as he had at least one of support. Perhaps he just does not read his mail. I wrote urging him to support retention; I received a response assuring me that he fully supported by views and that he would work diligently for repeal.

Perhaps the solution to the controversy is to make the Medicare program as it now stands a continuing benefit, and make it voluntary. You buy in or you don’t with no selection of separate parts.

RAY BRACY

Tustin