To the editor:
Economist Robert Pollin makes bold claims to support the single-payer Healthy California Act. He has calculated the estimated cost based on assumptions of replacing health insurance with government-managed insurance, improved administrative costs, discouraging unnecessary treatments, lowering physician and drug costs and increasing preventive care. (“Single-payer healthcare for California is, in fact, very doable,” Opinion, June 21)
All of these goals are laudable, but they are easier said than done.
Here’s what happens in the trenches: Government-managed healthcare is inefficient, denial of care is frequent, managed-care cost has steadily risen, physician fees remain stagnant, lowering drug costs is complex, and the cost of treating chronic illness is enormous.
Increasing taxes to pay for this program without first changing the mindset of the bureaucrats and inefficient government systems does not make sense. Perhaps Pollin should help implement single payer in his home state of Massachusetts before exporting it.
Jacob Korula, MD, Arcadia
Note from KBJ: If you like the DMV, you'll love single-payer health insurance.
