This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Gordon LaFleur's letter of the week (The Tribune, March 12) pinpoints the reason there has been no progress to reduce medical costs and insurance premiums. U.S. representatives and senators have congressional Cadillac coverage. They are not feeling the pain of escalating medical and insurance costs.
A solution, which crosses all party lines, is for voters to hold legislators' feet to the fire, giving everyone the same insurance options and premiums they have, including their $10,000-per-year subsidy. When they tell us that option is not affordable, we need to throw it back at them: Why are politicians who are making $175,000 per year, nearly four times the average salary of a U.S. worker, getting a taxpayer-funded subsidy for medical and insurance expenses?
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (during his iPhone gaffe) reminded us: "Americans have choices." We need one more choices. The same ones he has.
Tom Jennison
Salt Lake City