John, Why are you wasting your time at ABC? You are a great investigating reporter and commentator. ABC ratings are steadily going downhill and sooner or later they will be forced to cut staff and the highest paid are the most vulnerable. Barbara is capable of going it alone until retirement. You have too much insight to stay with ABC. I hope you will eventually listen to Fox News if they approach you. Their growing audience on Radio and Television is furtile ground for you. You don't have to agree with Rush, Bech et al. You can be your own man and comment on the things you care about and avoid political oneness. You have fairly presented both sides of any agrument and document your observations very well. We the audience don't see enough of you. What prompted this note is a recent editorial
"Obamacare's inevitable logic" published today August 26 in the Green Valley News (Arizona). Your reasoning as always is sound and the style fits with "Myth, Lies....Good Luck in the future.
John M De Stefano, retired

I am torn between free market and public option. Right now Insurance companies can discriminate against me because I am 58 years old and have High Blood Pressure which by the way is under control via medications from the cheep list that Wal-Mart started for 4 dollars per month generic drugs a free market competition success story.

My wife has had a part of her colon removed and is well now but has other conditions such as Arthritis and Fibromyalgia and Diverticulosis. We are virtually uninsurable at a price we can afford on my salary.

So as long as I am employed I am covered by my employer which I pay half which comes to 9,100. dollars per year. But in this economy I can't guarantee I will have a job tomorrow.

So John what is your solution to my problem?

I am torn between free market and public option. Right now Insurance companies can discriminate against me because I am 58 years old and have High Blood Pressure which by the way is under control via medications from the cheep list that Wal-Mart started for 4 dollars per month generic drugs a free market competition success story.
My wife has had a part of her colon removed and is well now but has other conditions such as Arthritis and Fibromyalgia and Diverticulosis. We are virtually uninsurable at a price we can afford on my salary.
So as long as I am employed I am covered by my employer which I pay half which comes to 9,100. dollars per year. But in this economy I can't guarantee I will have a job tomorrow.
So John what is your solution to my problem?

Dear John: You are right. Competition is everything! And, there are idea people out there who have already started to lay the groundwork for healthcare marketplace competition. Take prescription drugs, for instance...there is a website that allows individuals to check on local and nationwide competitors' prices before making the decision of where to purchase their prescription. This is especially important as so many employers are converting to Health Savings Accounts and away from traditional health coverage. That simple $10 co-pay will no longer be on the table for most employees. (After all, up until now, who cared what the total prescription price was when you only had to pay the first $10 !) The consumer will be compelled to pay attention to price now! Up until recently, one would take their prescription to their local druggist and get slapped with an ungodly price and sheepishly shell out whatever cash was asked for. You wouldn't buy a car without checking a price...why would you not carry that same habit forward into healthcare? You were right again, in your article, about the consumer not knowing what options are out there yet. Once this price checking habit becomes ingrained in the consumer psyche, competition will take hold. Remember how airline tickets were purchased before Travelocity or Priceline? In my mind, this is the same type of situation.