Letter: Time is right to imagine universal coverage

Talk about it

As a retired farmer, I know how hard—if not impossible—it is to afford health insurance for your family, but I now see some hope for farmers and small business persons coming up behind me. There is a growing movement in Minnesota for universal, single-payer health care coverage. Yep, that means everyone is covered, and the health insurance companies are out of the business of making huge profits while providing too many of us with inadequate health insurance.

Imagine your doctor acting in your best interest, without having to check with the insurance company to see if they will cover your surgery or prescription. Imagine no co-pays or outrageous deductibles. Imagine CEOs of insurance companies with their multimillion-dollar salaries no longer in control of your health care.

Imagine not having to call your insurance company to find out if your plan covers a particular physician. Imagine being able to keep the doctor you know and trust, even if you change jobs.

These “imagines” would be true under the Minnesota Health Plan, a bill introduced into the Minnesota Legislature. To see more about the Minnesota Health Plan go to www.muhcc.org. Health care is a human right, and it’s time for everyone to get care when they need it.

To have your questions answered and learn more, come to a Health Care Forum at 2 p.m. July 24 at Twin Circles, 760 Morgan St., Tracy. For more information, contact Sharon Schmidt at sschmidt776@usfamily.net.

Tags: opinion, letters, healthcare