Dear Editor,

The editorial: Universal Healthcare. This was the dream: A Public Health Insurance Option, (public insurance option or ‘public option’ for short) is a proposed health insurance plan that could be offered by the U.S. federal government. The federal government’s health insurance plan would be financed entirely by monthly premiums we pay. There would be no subsidy from the USA added to the premiums the federal government would receive from us. The overly brief shortening of a legislative bill’s name to only two words is akin to withholding information from us about what the odd sounding ‘public option’ truly is. This is simple. It is just monthly premiums paid by you to the USA government for their paying doctors and caregivers to protect your health.

However, today, California doctors are raising alarms, saying that at present, only a third of the state’s doctors participate at all in MediCal, the California version of Medicare, because of its low reimbursement rates. Without higher fees for doctors, the doctors say, the results of an expansion will be “catastrophic.”

Meanwhile, the ridiculous United States Senate’s “Cadillac” tax on expensive health insurance plans is infuriating liberals already upset about the death of the ‘public option.’

AARP and health insurance companies will not allow the federal government authority for a ‘public insurance option’ because THEY want the monthly premiums in THEIR pockets, so that they will have sufficient funds to pay their staff well for greedily denying your claims of sickness… thus, fattening even more these medical insurance schemers.

So, may end the dream with all of its screaming need as set forth in the Oakdale Leader’s editorial of January 13, 2010. It is all about insurance companies being protected against competition, and the results of this. Page A8, left column, “Universal Healthcare.” The editorial writer is a professional, passionate Kim Van Meter.

Larry Kay