Health-insurance companies shun competition

The federal health-care debate continues. However, I am one citizen who is tired of hearing it referred to as health care, when Congress is more focused on what can only be referred to as health insurance. Some claim the major debate is over preexisting health conditions and cost. The real debate however, is the manner by which the American Health Care Act would provide subsidies to the insurance companies while making it look as though they are subsidizing the policyholder.

The fact is, if the insurance companies wanted to compete and sell in every state, they have more than enough political and financial clout to make that happen. The truth is, insurance companies have enjoyed high profits precisely because they have not had to compete across state lines.

If affordability was the overriding issue, not only for health-care access, but also for health-care insurance and prescription drugs, and the government truly felt the only way to reduce cost was by increased government involvement and control, then why didn’t the government just opt for the easiest way to obtain that objective and enact good old-fashioned 1970s federal price controls?

I don’t want House Speaker Paul Ryan or Sens. Rob Portman and Chuck Schumer or Rep. Nancy Pelosi or anyone else making decisions regarding my health care.

Stephen Ball Lancaster