Dear Editor,

A recent story in the Spokesman-Review highlighted the case of Fred Watley, who found himself kicked to the back of the transplant line after his employer routinely changed insurance carriers, triggering a 6 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions. He would have died in less than 6 months without the transplant. Mr. Watley’s dilemma demonstrates why employers should not be health insurance buyers. Employers buying your health care without being able to ask your family’s health needs makes as much sense as having the boss buy your car for you without knowing how many kids you have to carry.

Employers started purchasing health insurance to get around wage controls initiated during World War II. The tradition is barely 65 years old. It’s time to retire the old tradition and take back responsibility for our own health care and health insurance. First step – challenge the Insurance

Commissioner to do his job and give us back access to a competitive individual policy market.

For anybody who thinks it would be different under Canadian style nationalized coverage, think again. The Canadian press frequently has stories about similar cases, and similar negative press pressures the government into changing the rules that create waiting lists and a scarcity of specialists. Often Canadians travel to the US for treatment. If we have nationalized health care, where will we travel for treatment? The only way the healthcare system functions rationally is when the people seeking treatment are empowered to manage their own access to care.

Sue Lani Madsen,

Candidate

7th District State

Representative

Edwall, Washington