Health Care Reform

Re “Greetings, Congress--Guess What’s Waiting,” editorial, Sept. 12:

The concept of achieving the possible has much to recommend it. However, the statistic in the editorial, that 73% of the nation’s smallest firms dleo not offer employees insurance coverage, coupled with the statement that “Small employers should be obliged to join such cooperatives, though not to pay for the employee coverage” demonstrates a serious lack of understanding of life among the working poor.

Assume, if you will, that the average small business pays employees $8 per hour. Assume, also, that this employee is able to find a rental at $600 per month. The $8 per hour will generate $1,387 per month, gross, and a net of $1,151, assuming 17% deductions. After paying rent the employee retains $551 to provide food, clothing, utilities, school expenses, transportation, insurance, savings and miscellaneous expenses for a family that could include a spouse and several children or a dependent parent. It is patently illogical to expect such a person to purchase health care insurance.

Whatever we like to think, we already pay for health care for everyone, and in the most illogical, inefficient, demeaning and expensive manner possible. The “system” by which the uninsured poor receive medical care ensures that children will go un-immunized, diseases will be undiagnosed and untreated (sometimes with catastrophic results) and that the rest of us will pay premium dollars for this appalling care. Fundamentally, I believe in a Canadian-style system. Since the federal government appears ready to surrender to special interests, they have opened the door to the proposed single-payer California system (Proposition 186). It may be our last, good hope for effective health care reform.

PATRICIA A. FYLER

Brea

Let me tell you how “poorly” our current health system works. In January of 1993 I had a high fever for several days. I was unemployed and uninsured. Exaggerated “county hospital horror stories” made me reluctant to go. When I finally did, I was diagnosed with a very dangerous heart infection. After being hospitalized for six weeks in a very clean double room I was released. I thank the staff of 5C at Olive View Hospital every day I enjoy the life they saved.

JUDY NECHAK

Canoga Park

I felt the need to respond to James G. Kreder’s letter (Sept. 10) “explaining” the lack of passage of a health care bill. His points varied from exaggerated to paranoid, but one was egregiously in error--that America has the best health delivery system in the world. I have traveled and occasionally been forced to test health care systems in Italy, Austria and Canada. I can tell you that these systems work better. It’s not just better service: The statistics verify that they function better. Their infant mortality rates are lower. The average age at death is higher in Canada and Italy, and in Austria it is equal to the U.S. And here’s the scandal: We spend 11% of our GNP on health care, while they spend only a bit more than half that in Austria and Italy and less than a third in Canada. We’re being ripped off by the medical community and the insurance providers--it’s plain when you look at the facts.

DOUGLAS A. LAPPI

Del Mar

“Health Reform Has a Hold on Australia” (World Report, Sept. 13) clearly shows that single-payer health reform is the right way to go. Australia had private insurance companies delivering health care until 1984. Then their government adopted health reform. After 10 years it has been so successful that even the politicians who opposed it initially are now in favor of it. The people show a high rate of satisfaction and health care costs have been controlled.

S. STEVE GUPTA MD

Glendale