Letters: What makes our health system sick

Re “Another surgery — while knee-deep in the red tape,” Column, Jan. 6

Steve Lopez asks, “Can’t we switch to a healthcare system instead of a paper-shuffling, profit-driven, CEO-bonus-building system?” Great question.

There are dozens of for-profit health insurance companies astride the U.S. healthcare “system.” Besides profits for their owners, their premiums must pay for exorbitant executive salaries and benefits, lobbyists in Washington, political contributions, marketing programs, lawyers and lawsuits, redundant computer systems and staffs trained to deny claims. These parasitical organizations contribute nothing to actual healthcare.

One day a single-payer system will provide better care at less cost and aggravation. As Winston Churchill said, “Count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else.”

Ed Carstens

Santa Clarita

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