Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008

A national health plan will be best

The article "Compromise near on insurance reform" (Aug. 5, Page B-5) underscores the many problems facing consumers in the private health insurance sector. Among reforms discussed: limiting profits on individual plans by insurers clearly stating a basic set of benefits and costs and restricting insurers' canceling policies retroactively.

Anyone who had ever dealt with private insurers knows how confusing the whole process is. By the time you read through all the fine print, with all its definitions, exclusions, deductibles, etc., you get the feeling that this was done to deliberately confuse the customer. And the retroactive canceling of policies is especially offensive; what kind of health insurance coverage is that where a company can cancel your insurance when you get sick?

Some kind of reform and-or government supervision is needed, or better yet, a national health insurance plan. With all its possible challenges, a well-designed and administered national plan is, I believe, preferable to dealing with private insurers, whose ultimate goal is not service to the customer, but profit. Other countries have national health plans, why not America?

STEVE BANTLY

Merced