Op-Ed

We aren't that Gull-ible

A sandspit tailor-made for healthcare reform

The Cape and Islands' demographics is tailor made for the coming healthcare reform. The area is densely populated with old crocks like me. Small businesses are as ubiquitous as the weeds in our gardens.

Our sandy chunk of the country rife with people requiring more medical treatment than average.

We are grateful that the big hassle back in 1965 that got us Medicare

We are grateful that the big hassle back in 1965 that got us Medicare was won by the "pro" side. They went through the same sort of scare tactics then as we see today. The lives saved and the volume of worry prevented have been a blessing to all who are on the program. I don't see anyone turning it down, even if it is a socialistic government-run healthcare program.

All our small business operators who have doubts should read the NY Times editorial of 8/13/09 "Health Reform and Small Business".

Most have 25 employees or less and an annual payroll of $500,000 or less, so they won't be mandated. Small employers will be able to join exchanges to get the same lower rates the big guys enjoy. The Congressional Budget Office, the NY Times, and Howard Dean's "Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform" all agree small businesses stand to benefit. A little research will give you the details.

Most American industries are at a competitive disadvantage because the bulk of our health insurance is employer based. In single- payer countries the government picks up the tab. And their people have better care than we do, according to the World Health Organization.

All of us old timers should prefer the public option, because we want to play it safe with supplements like Medex that kick in when the costs exceed what Medicare will pay. The private insurers, sanctified by reform opponents, have doubled their premiums in a decade. Without the public option nothing will stop them from doing it again.

All of us old timers should prefer the public option.

The medical industry's attempts to buy a bill that mandates coverage without a public option's protection is their pitch to win themselves an open-pit gold mine. Our premiums

When there is talk about comparing the rate of increase in health insurance premiums with the much slower gains in wages, we know who gets shafted. But what about us retirees on fixed incomes? We are vulnerable, but the opponents and the stallers in both parties don't seem to care. But we ancients vote, and will remember which politicians worked for us, and which were too interested in the appalling amount of cash the special interests use to make them virtual employees.

Richard C. Bartlett. Cotuit