Health Care Proposals
From Washington

by Walter J. Cheney
Remember when you were young and the circus came to town? I worked several weeks weeding our 6-acre truck garden and doing other chores to earn money to spend at the circus. It was in the late 30's and a dime was real money then. You could buy a hamburger for 10 cents and a sack full for a dollar. The Barnum and Bailey three-ring circus was the biggest event ever to come to Watertown. I was 10 then and had never seen so many different animals before in my whole life. The circus was exciting and I especially loved the clowns. I lost 5 dollars throwing baseballs in a half-barrel looking to double my money. It was the best 5 dollars I've ever spent. I learned very early in life that you don't get something for nothing and that there are any number of unscrupulous individuals out there that will take advantage of you if you let them.

Now that I'm quite a bit older, I don't look for the circus to come to town anymore. But I've been reading and seeing the activities of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives along with the President for over a year regarding health care proposals and the Medicare funding concerns. I've never seen such a three-ring circus. The juggling of health benefits, options, and deciding who pays overwhelms my ability to track the various proposals -- and I'm supposed to be an "expert" on senior issues. With the insurance companies, the AMA, business groups, the tobacco industry, the AARP and other senior citizen organizations, and many others vying for their changes, I'm unsure how everything will end up.

But I have a suggestion. Write your congressmen and tell them that you want the same health care benefits they and other federal employees have -- both during work and retirement years. You know what? I don't even know what their benefits are or what premiums they pay, but I don't have to know that -- I'll sign up for the same coverage at the same price. If our government officials, federal and state employees, aren't enrolled in the same plan as the one they propose for you, -- you can bet it's not a fair plan.

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Last change 5/30/96