American health care is failing

Thanks to Dr. Danto for his description on why the time is now for universal health care in the U.S. (Other Voices, Sept. 13). The current system is badly outdated and out of touch with both providers and patients to the point of becoming not only ineffective, but dangerous as well.

Since the 1970s, I have been advocating “socialized medicine.” This, years before joining the ranks of health care providers and in the zenith of the good old days of medicine.

In the 70s and 80s, one’s physician actually made the medical decisions, and it was paid for! Now, much medical decision making is made by someone behind a desk thousands of miles away with little to no medical education.

After years practicing in this environment, I am painfully aware that these folks are trained to deny, deny, deny, and only pay if they have to at which time, cut the bill as much as possible. It is a numbers game and a money game. It is not designed in the best interest of the patient as it should be. And the premiums we pay for this abuse!

It doesn’t matter what you want to call the system of the future. It does matter that we join the ranks of the rest of the world and start taking care of our people. This a failing system we have now that is getting worse. Many health care providers have left practice because of it, many patients have died due to it.

Dr. Rick Miner

Nevada City