Skip to main content

Today's Poll: Would you support changing Medicare to private insurance/voucher program?

By Howard B. Owens
Chris Charvella

Somebody needs to explain to me how this wouldn't just be a giveaway to insurance companies. Insurance companies who, by the way, will then deny care to sick elderly people even though the government has already paid for it via voucher...

Apr 5, 2011, 1:02pm Permalink
Justin Burger

It might be okay if there was a stipulation that any insurance company accepting a voucher couldn't deny care. That won't happen though, so I voted no.

Apr 5, 2011, 2:08pm Permalink
Ed Gentner

The U.S. needs to go to a single payer plan that provides universal coverage modeled after the most successful healthcare plan. Veterans Administration provides excellant service and the highest quality health care. It is time that all Americans have the same available high quality health care Veterans currently recieve. Eliminate the burden of layers of additional costs by removing the insurance companies from the equation.

Apr 6, 2011, 8:20am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Tell my brother the VA provides the highest quality health care. Twice he's gotten serious infections following surgeries in VA hospitals. Then, the antibiotics they gave him deteriorated the cartilage in his joints.

Dealing with the VA is pretty much you would expect from dealing with a large government bureaucracy -- slow and cumbersome. Can you imagine expanding that to include all Americans?

Apr 6, 2011, 8:38am Permalink
Chris Charvella

Howard, that's anecdotal evidence and you know how much that's worth. Want to hear horror stories of the same kind coming out of UMMC or Strong or Millard Fillmore?

Apr 6, 2011, 9:07am Permalink
Jeremiah Pedro

So far the care I receive from the V.A. is adequate.
Granted I have only been getting care from the VA hospital system here in Western New York since 2007.

Apr 6, 2011, 3:16pm Permalink

Authentically Local