There’s no question that there are problems with the current health care system. But, here’s the surprising truth about health care. The countries that are able to provide insurance for all, drive down costs, and improve health outcomes don’t have a public option.  France and Germany, countries whose major parties are unabashedly socialist, don’t have a public option.  The country with some of the best health outcomes and some of the lowest prices in the world, Japan, doesn’t have a public option.

In the meantime, American taxpayers are being told that a public option is essential to health care reform. What we’re not being told is how a public option can be sustained when our government is already running high deficits.  Some entitlement programs have an expiration date. No one thinks that social security will be around in 20 years. What will the expiration date be on affordable health care under the public option plan?

We need health care reform, but we need sustainable reform that provides affordable medical care for, not only us, but our children and grandchildren. Other countries solve the problem without a public option. Even, gasp, socialist ones.  If other countries can provide a high quality of health care to all of their citizens solely through the private sector, then I dare our government to do the same.  In light of our increasing debt and the volatility of entitlement programs, we may not have an option.

Jennifer Gumbel

LeRoy