Too Much at Stake to Avoid Health Care Reform

To the Editor:

North Dakota has lately been able to remain resilient to problems plaguing the rest of our nation, like mounting job losses and the collapse of the housing market, but there is one key issue where the needs of our state are no different than anywhere else: health care reform. No matter which way you dice it, tens of thousands of North Dakotans are currently without health care coverage. This is simply unacceptable in a state that is able to take an economic recession head on.

Premiums have grown three times as fast as wages in this state; the average monthly premium $1,000. As a college-educated citizen, that is more than I make on a monthly basis, and for many that is more than the mortgage on their home. Continuously pumping money into private health care providers has gotten us nowhere. There are currently 90,000 uninsured individuals in the state of ND; one in every six. The impact of illness and sickness can devastate a life and a family. In North Dakota, we believe in working hard and doing what’s right for people. Right now, we need to ensure that our fellow citizens are receiving the health care necessary to thrive and succeed.

We need to contact our representatives in Washington and urge them to include a public health insurance option that will ensure that all North Dakotans have access to quality, affordable health care. The inclusion of such a plan in health care reform will return competition to the private health care industry, where North Dakota currently faces a near monopoly by Blue Cross Blue Shield. We all know that competition and the free market can’t work properly if a monopoly exists. The public option would ensure that private companies compete for their clients’ business; a cornerstone of capitalism. The introduction of a viable option from the federal government would therefore benefit both those who decide to remain with their current providers, and those of us who do not currently have health insurance.

I urge everyone to contact our delegation in Washington - Senator Conrad, Senator Dorgan, and Representative Pomeroy - and tell them to support strong reforms with the option of a public health insurance plan. Too much is at stake for too many Americans - including here in North Dakota - to allow the status quo to continue.

Angela Mathers
Fargo