Still affordable

Regarding “Pricier plans, fewer options” (Page A1, Oct. 25), the article is correct to point out these problems with the Affordable Care Act. However, you fail to mention the average increase of 22 percent is actually down from the past when the Affordable Care Act was not available, not counting also that preexisting conditions were keeping many people out of having insurance. These people are now in insurance programs, as are students who can stay on their parents’ plan till age 26. Many people also are eligible for government subsidies, which lower premiums

Of course the plan is not perfect, but many thousands now have insurance who didn’t before the Affordable Care Act. The main reason for the increase is sicker people are getting insurance and younger people are waiting until they get sick to enroll.

The answer to all these problems of the ACA is a single-payer system — ”Medicare For All.” Statics have shown that a single-payer system such as Medicare For All, where everyone would pay into the system, and everyone would have medical care and at a much lower cost is the answer. Why? Because younger people would have to pay into the system as well as older people.

However, the insurance companies are against this for obvious reasons as are the doctors and hospitals. This is primarily true because Medicare has the ability to negotiate prices for physicians care as well as hospitals and drug expenses. Roger W. Laramore,

Kingwood