Letters to the editor are brief reader responses to stories and opinion pieces published by VTDigger. Letters give voice to community members and do not represent the views of VTDigger. To send a letter, complete this form.
I agree with Mr. Davis’ comment on H.156. He certainly deserves to be taken off the wall and the testimonies of Vermonters must be heard.
I disagree with his statement that there aren’t enough Vermonters who agree that we need publicly funded, privately delivered single-payer health care. As usual, the problem is the money to make such a big change. Now we rely on individual policyholders to meet the needs of all Vermonters.
Businesses, the state of Vermont, and our Vermont education system are all able to afford reduced rates while individuals are hit hard by private insurance rates. We are very fortunate to have Medicare and Medicaid programs in Vermont that meet the needs of so many people. However, there are still those who slip through the cracks.
If someone is really sick, there’s not much a poor person can do other than just not seek treatment and die so their family won’t go bankrupt. We are the only non-third world country where people have to fundraise to pay hospital bills when they are really sick.
Millionaires and billionaires must pay their fair share of taxes in order to counter the number of people living in poverty in the United States and around the world. Health care should be seen as a social service and not a way for Wall Street investors to make huge profits while doctors and nurses are underpaid and leave their
professions due to horrible working conditions and low wages and benefits.
Marie-Alice Bisbee
Montpellier
Former hospital social worker and nursing home.
