Health care claim dubious

Sally’s Jackson’s June 18 letter, “High premiums GOP’s Fault,” is long on opinion but short on fact.

Republicans never had a chance to either support or defeat a single-payer health system. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was written and passed by Democrats holding majorities in both Houses. With another bribe or two and further altering Senate rules, they could have likely passed a single-payer system without a single Republican vote. Republicans have never supported a single-payer system, but they have never formally defeated such a proposal.

What is the evidence that health insurance companies donate more money to Republicans than to Democrats? If that is the case, why would Democrats structure the ACA to help insurance companies and, indirectly, Republicans?

What is the evidence that the federal government could administer a national health care system more with low overhead and efficiency? Remember the problems and the costs associated with simply bringing the ACA online, and look at the Veterans Affairs health care system.

President Obama promised over and over that the ACA would save the average American family $2,500 per year. What happened? We were told that the ACA was a panacea even with private insurance company participation.

Robert Wilson

Pullman