BY WANDA JO STAPLETON
During Sen. Tom Coburn’s Town Hall meeting in OKC yesterday, I was on the second row holding up my sign which said “Public Option Saves Money.”
At one point, the senator said, in essence, “Tell me one thing the government does right.” My hand shot up in front of his face, but he ignored my willingness to answer. So I shouted “Medicare!”
Coburn responded that Medicare has too much fraud. If that’s true, why isn’t he after those alleged to be causing the fraud – doctors? hospitals? – instead of going after Medicare.
I still have the original Medicare because I didn’t switch to a Medicare Advantage plan – a move which privatizes Medicare.
That means my plan is still government run, single payer, reasonably priced, and without bureaucratic intervention.
A public option could extend this kind of medical insurance to those below age 65 who choose this “option.”
Not only Coburn, but also our entire Congressional delegation and both senators oppose a public option.
Their narrow, personal vision about health insurance is indefensible.
– Wanda Jo Stapleton, a former Democratic state representative, lives in Oklahoma City and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer
I was thinking about Coburn’s question “name one thing the government does that is both effective and efficient? Guess what – name one company who could not be more efficient and effective? It is a false assumption – can govt. do better? Yes. Because they are not perfect should we not try? NO! Insurance companies denying care is very efficient and effective – FOR THEM. Not so much for the families paying the premiums and getting denied.