To the editor:

Dr. David Goering’s recent opinion that a single-payer system, i.e. government-run health care, is the ultimate solution for America’s health care financing is naive. He lauds the Medicare model when, in fact, Medicare spending has spiraled out of control and, even before the onset of the current recession, the program was slated to go broke by 2019.

Is Dr. Goering genuinely recommending everyone jump on that wagon? And what proof does he have that this would save billions of dollars? Since when did government-run anything save money? When politicians and government bureaucrats are spending other people’s money, they have no incentive to cut costs, especially when their spending and the regulations they place on private enterprise puts more power in their pockets.

When one has to foot the bill oneself, one does much better getting value for one’s money. Which brings us to some legitimate solutions for health care financing: 1) lower taxes on individuals, enabling them to acquire insurance or create a health savings account on their own; 2) increase insurance company competition by allowing people to purchase policies across state lines; 3) allow individuals to join together in pools so they can purchase insurance at lower rates; and 4) give tax incentives to clinics and hospitals to facilitate the implementation of measures that increase efficiency. This is the U.S.A., the republic of liberty, capitalism and opportunity. Let us work together to empower individuals with free-market solutions rather than empowering big government with its socialistic offerings.

Dr. Matthew G. Buxton,
Lawrence