Individuals taking control of their health care will cut medical costs and avoid genocide

EDITOR:

We must gain control of the cost of health care, but Obama’s socialized medicine is not the answer. Looking closely at his plan, one discovers the major savings come from reducing care, then rationing it, primarily to our senior citizens.

He and his plan’s proponents all make the point that of the western nations only the United States lacks universal health care. That may be true, but that is not a reason for us to duplicate their mistakes of adopting it. Out of Canada and England come horrendous stories of suffering elderly who are paying the price because care for them is not cost effective. In those countries, bookkeepers; not the patient and his doctor determine who is to receive or not receive their dole of medical care.

Some personal thoughts: Being 81 I am experiencing a problem common to men of my age. My urologist told me: “Your problem is not uncommon, but because of age, we normally just treat it with medication. But as your other vitals are healthy, I suggest we do a biopsy and proceed from there.” Under Obama’s socialized medical plan I would be denied that option as well as the medication option others with my problem are receiving. I am comfortable with my urologist’s prognosis that my condition is treatable, but let’s get back to cost control.

I advocate the Individual Medical Savings Account. It works; I structured mine over 40 years ago. IMSA works because it puts the patient back in the decision-making and bill-paying process. As an independent insurance agent I saw early on the fallacy of low deductible health insurance, therefore my personal plan included the highest deductible I could find at the time, $5,000. The difference in premium was substantial and I had the discipline to save it and invest it. That is how insurance companies make money; they invest the reserve.

About 25 years ago I had an experience with colon cancer and without hesitation I sought out the best care I could find and my IMSA more than covered the deductibles. Prior to that I needed a hernia repaired; a procedure that can be done on a sterilized kitchen table. I shopped three local hospitals for a quote on the surgery; they thought I was nuts. All three quoted around $7,000. I had read of favorable reports on the Canadian hernia procedure and made the 41‚Ñ2 hour drive to St. Mary’s, Ontario. There I learned the hospital, surgeon and anesthetist bills would total about $2,700 Canadian, and they accepted credit cards. I was told it could be done the next week. When I asked why I got such quick care, they said it was because I was paying in cash and they were avoiding Canadian red tape.

Why the Canadian bill was so low? The operating room was a little more than a sterilized kitchen table. There was no sophisticated back up equipment seen in American hospitals. I would not have gone there for my colon problem.

The best benefit from my IMSA was when its significant surplus was added to my retirement nest egg when I went on Medicare.

I could not get any of my clients to adopt my plan. One must wonder why. Was it their lack of self-discipline or willingness to accept personal responsibility? If so, then I am unwilling to accept their responsibility under Obama’s socialistic plan. The ugliest potential of Obama’s UHC is it will kill off a class of people, our senior citizens. Hitler had his death camps, Stalin had his gulags and Obama’s UHC will result in his warehousing of the elderly and early termination of their retirement years.

NICHOLAS F. BOLKOVAC

Youngstown