Paying for Medicare

Re: “True costs of Medicare,” Nov. 9

Capt. Kim MacCartney is absolutely correct in his assessment of the cost of Medicare and its unsustainable course.

The question now is: Do we as a society that largely relies on employer-sponsored health care want to provide health care for seniors who no longer qualify for employer-sponsored health care?

These retirees may have pre-existing medical conditions and not be able to find affordable insurance themselves.

Payroll taxes do not cover the cost of Medicare and will not cover them under current taxation.

A large part of the deficit in Medicare would be covered if everyone had to pay the same payroll taxes that middle-class people pay.

The reality is that people with larger incomes often pay a greatly reduced rate.

Those with larger incomes just received a sizable reduction in income tax. They should pay their share of a program they will themselves benefit from.

Correcting this regressive tax would go a long way toward making Medicare solvent if that is what American people really want.

I, for one, have found Medicare the only affordable alternative when my employer-sponsored health insurance was no longer available.

Maybe others have had the same experience.

William T. Carpenter Lanexa