Subsidies don’t ensure better health care

Is my imagination playing tricks or did President Donald Trump admit what Democrats have been contending for decades? Trump acknowledged that subsidies for premiums for lower income individuals contribute to bloated insurance company profits and not better health care.

This belief has long been advocated by Democrats, who have argued for a government run singlepayer system, or at least a government option. Republicans routinely contended that the private sector operates more efficiently than the government. They ignore that Medicare which serves more than 45 million patients is economically administered and negotiates the most favorable provider payments on behalf of patients. Medicare has neither millionaire executives, nor shareholders seeking dividends and stock profits.

Trump has it right. The subsidies on behalf of lower income individuals has an unconscionable element of pure profiteering to insurers for simply collecting premiums.

For those among us in this state of senior citizens, just ask any of the many seniors receiving Medicare whether they are satisfied with the quality of care they receive from Medicare. It is the same as those with private insurance.

Trump has identified the problem and Democrats are foolish if they do not take Trump’s admission to the voters. Sheldon Saitlin, Boca Raton