To Congressman Fred Upton: The ink is barely dry on the official election tallies and Paul Ryan is already proposing to privatize Medicare using a voucher system. This is nothing more than a method to add to the revenues of the private insurance companies. There is no reason to do it.
The current Medicare system operates very efficiently, with an overhead of 3 percent administrative costs. No insurance company would accept such a margin, so privatization would either cost the taxpayers more, cost the insured person more or require reduced coverage and benefits.
The right solution to Medicare’s financial problems is to stop allowing pharmaceutical companies to charge outrageous prices for medications. Drug prices in the United States are much higher than they are in any other country. The ban that stops Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices must be lifted as soon as possible.
Congressman Upton, you campaigned with the promise to protect our social programs for the elderly. It is your duty to get with Mr. Ryan and others in your caucus and put a stop to such egregious proposals.
Today it is Medicare. Tomorrow it will be Social Security.
DONALD HOLMES
Buchanan