The Feb. 18 Press Herald included a letter to the editor penned by Bryan Dench, “Doctors should reject expansion of Medicaid.”

I value differences of opinion but do not like publicly expressed opinions that are short on facts. I am a group insurance broker who is a staunch supporter of a single-payer system being implemented in Maine.

First, let me separate the “unfacts” in the letter from the facts:

$4 to $10 per week for a policy purchased on the exchange is way too low, even with a generous federally paid-for stipend.

 I personally know of many able-bodied adults in our state who are unemployed and want to work. They are without insurance while unemployed, and even when employed are often not offered coverage. They need to remain healthy to get and keep a job.

Other facts:

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The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, does not go far enough. At 17 percent of gross domestic product, the cost of health care in this country is the highest of any developed country by at least 6 percent.

Our outcomes are the worst as measured by infant mortality, longevity of life, repeated hospitalizations and general health.

Our administrative costs for doctors and hospitals are ludicrous, and are pretty much unknown in other developed countries.

Those other developed countries with single-payer systems are unfamiliar with the idea of a denied medical claim.

Doctors and hospitals are paid more quickly by single-payer systems than here in the U.S.

Citizens of those countries love their medical single-payer systems.

More healthy citizens, less cost, fewer administrative headaches – no wonder many, many doctors and hospitals support a single-payer system!

Marilyn McWilliams

Gorham


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