Letter in support of Obama's health care

From: Debbie Aldrich
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 1:53 PM
Subject: Letter in support of Obama's health care

Obama Friends, This is a letter written by my Husband, Stephen M. Aldrich MD. he has been a Family Physician now for over 37 years. If you wish to send this on to nay papers I haven't please do. I sent one to the Seattle Times, Skagit Valley Herald, Everett Herald, Bellingham Herald and some other local papers in Sakgit County as well as a copy to both Senators: Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell and Congressman Rick Larson.

Now we need to be sending letters from small business owners.

Thanks, Debbie Aldrich

Stephen M. Aldrich, MD
16713 Bradley Road
Bow, Washington 98232

July 21, 2009

Dear Editor:

After 35 years Family Practice, I made the observation that private health insurances are not always your friends. Medicare has an average of 3+% administrative overhead; private health insurers average 20+%. I am not required to request authorization from Medicare (or Medicaid) for ordering most procedures that are diagnostic or therapeutic. There are more hurdles to many health care issues under private insurance than under most government backed health insurances including military. The exorbitant yearly inflation of “free market” health insurance premiums allows for higher CEO salaries and stockholder dividends, not lower premiums or broader coverage! I believe in competition, that it should improve the product and keep the price competitive – apparently except for private health insurances’ products and premiums.

The “Obama Plan” is being written by your elected Congressional Representatives, with input from his administration. Their goal is to provide affordable health insurance for 46+ million uninsured Americans. If it takes a publicly accessible, federally underwritten, Medicare style health insurance plan to do this, I vote, Yes! The United States is the last developed nation without national health coverage. That is shameful and inexcusable.

If you believe this is Socialism, you should cry, “Foul!’, whenever you pay your taxes for Fire Protection, Law Enforcement (City and County), Education, Public Health and Local Government like Public Utilities, Parks, Dikes, etc. What is so different about health care? Yes, coverage for the uninsured is expensive, but, if you believe it’s too expensive now, ask yourself if you think the prices will go down in the future, and when that may be?

Postponing action on the current Congressional Health Care Legislation is a scare tactic brought to you by those who allowed de-regulation of financial institutions and other financial improprieties causing our current economic recession. Support this crucial legislation, it will get more expensive later. Write, e-mail or call your Congressional Representatives and U.S. Senators and express your support.

Respectfully,

Steve Aldrich, MD