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Letter: Why the fear of Medicare for all?

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, urging Republicans to abandon cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Why are people afraid? Beyond Sen. Mike Lee proclaiming that the people of Utah don’t want it (I do), why are people afraid of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recently introduced Medicare for all legislation? Here’s a program that already covers 40 million people and is thought of positively.

It is not a government takeover of health care. It is a government replacement of private health insurance. We will almost certainly spend significantly less per person overall even with the tax increases needed to pay for the program. Your insurance premiums and copays go away, you can still go to the providers of your choice and not have to face the annual insurance shuffle.

What I don’t get most of all is why conservatives aren’t for this with all their crowing about helping small business when Medicare for all takes the burden of insuring their employees off the table. In addition, think of the many entrepreneurs who won’t try starting a new business because they need the insurance provided by their current employer.

I can go on about the advantages, but I’ll simply ask again: Why are people afraid of Medicare for all?

Roger Edwards

Millcreek