Congress should remove restrictions on Medicare
To the editor:
There is great misunderstanding about Medicare, particularly those who are not directly involved with using it. Medicare is not socialized medicine and does not ration care.
Standard Medicare gives freedom of choice for both doctors and hospitals and does not require a gatekeeper physician for referrals. Medicare is a well-run agency that knows how to operate nationwide. Health providers and consumers both work well with it, and it does a great job for the health of the population. Those who use it are very satisfied and thankful for it.
If Congress would remove the budget constraints for enforcement and follow-up there would be little fraud. The savings would be even more significant if Congress would remove the restrictions on negotiation. Medicare should negotiate for drugs, equipment, and services just like the General Services Administration.
That will be as close to a free market as you can get in health care. It is a system that works well and knows how it could be expanded to cover the rest of us. We would not be reinventing the wheel.
Not only would the country be healthier but the savings for employers could result in many new jobs as disposable income skyrockets with lower costs and less sickness. That would be a real path to American greatness and bring us up to the rest of developed countries in overall quality of health.
Donald A. Smith
Franklin
