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Virus exposes health-care system’s flaws

Nearly every business and most individuals are suffering in this pandemic. Mr. Colson (“A bit of brain bulge in the time of Corona 19,” commentary, May 18, aspentimes.com) mentioned how hospitals are taking a triple hit — forced to spend more on critically ill COVID-19 patients, losing the revenue they normally get from elective surgery, and having more patients on Medicaid, as newly unemployed workers lose their job-related health care insurance.

There may be a silver lining to this crisis as all Americans are forced to acknowledge the profound deficiencies in our health-care insurance system and to recognize the solutions available in Medicare for All. Hard workers would never again lose their job-related insurance, as universal insurance would finally be separated from your job. For hospitals, global budgeting would provide a steady, reliable revenue stream, allowing them to eliminate their costly billing and insurance departments and not worry about seasonal or pandemic revenue fluctuations. Perhaps those employees at Valley View Hospital would still have their jobs.

Many things will be permanently changed in the wake of COVID-19, beyond how we conduct meetings and teach classes. I desperately hope that another is how we finance health care. Medicare for All promises tremendous relief and assurance to nearly everyone, and will cost less that we’re paying now.



Dr. George Bohmfalk

Carbondale