An Open Letter About Health Insurance

To whom it may concern,

Like most Americans, my health is important to me. Also like most Americans, I am not wealthy. Put these two things together and that makes health insurance important to me. If anything serious happened, I could not pay for treatment without insurance. What’s worse, I wouldn’t even be able to afford preventative care without insurance. It’s a major source of stress in my life, like it is for most Americans.

For reasons that are all too common, but I won’t get into now, I’m on my third insurance plan in the last 18 months. Thanks to Coronavirus, I’m overdue for a dental cleaning. I tried to make an appointment with the dentist that I’ve been going to for years. I like my dentist. I’m skittish about such things, and it’s good to have someone who makes me feel comfortable. Except, my dentist doesn’t accept my new insurance. I asked how much it would be if I paid out of pocket, and it’s more than I can afford. So, I have to search for a new dentist that accepts my current insurance. This is going to cause a lot of anxiety.

There is a simple fix for my problem. Make it so that all licensed health care providers in good standing are covered by all health insurance plans. This is a solution everyone should be able to get behind. If you’re a Democrat, it’s a simple matter of justice. Insurance coverage isn’t complete if patients can’t see their preferred providers. If you’re a Republican, it’s a simple matter of freedom. The current system limits individual choice and prevents thousands of small businesses from competing in a free market.

Sincerely,

Gene Glotzer