Reader’s Write: Letter-writer ill-informed on healthcare

The Island Now

Stephen Morris’ latest diatribe makes one wonder if he is dyslexic, stupid or just a plain liar. 

If he will look at his Medicare card properly, he will see that it covers Hospital (part A) and Medical (part B). So every part of medical care is covered. 

If he thinks that Medicare is so expensive, and a symbol of “socialized medicine,” he should cut up his card, forego all insurance, and pay all out of his pocket. 

I think, when he sees what full private charges are, he will soon come running back. If he is concerned about the AARP, he should consider that private insurance companies, very concerned with his health, rake off 20-25 percent of all medical premium charges. 

With regard to “AARP advising avoiding various medical procedures,” he should note that these recommendations were first put forward by the Institute of Medicine, a non-governmental or financial organization, after carefully studying each procedure, and finding that they were not extending people’s lives, or improving their health.

Finally, as far as costs are concerned, the CBO has now brought down the estimated costs by $1 billion. 

Everyone still makes the mistake of thinking that medicine can be run as an economic project. 

Britain’s National Health Plan took over five years in planning, and before being instituted, 10 percent more funding was added to the allocated funds. 

At the end of the first year they were in the red by only 1 million pounds! Yet they will not give up their plan today. 

It is too early to know what the ultimate costs will be, money versus better health. We will have to wait some years before a final verdict can be delivered.

Dr. J. Marcus

Great Neck

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