Posted September 15, 2006

1. Is America's health care system broken?

Yes - it's been broken for quite some time. Access to good health care is very expensive. Doctors are also increasingly having to worry about malpractice suits. A lot of people can't pay for health care on their own. Thankfully, I'm in a union job - it's paid for by my employer by the terms of my contract.

2. What are some of the steps government can take to address these issues?

I don't know if we'll ever be able to get to a universal health care system but we should continue to explore it. There's no easy solution, but I think government can do a lot more. I hear the stories about how much cheaper drugs are in other countries. Government should help working Americans get health care - perhaps by taking some tax money back from the rich to help those who need it.

3. Do you know people struggling to pay their health care premiums? How are they going about it?  

People are struggling to pay their medical bills, and in many cases are going without health care altogether. I hear of friends of mine that are losing it as a result of their companies dropping it from the benefits package. We need to wake up and make our voices heard to help those who don't have it.

4. Do you see the cost of health care going down anytime soon?

Not at all. Not until our elected officials make a difference and change the system. Deductibles are going up - as are co-payments.

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