Readers Write: Jan. 26

Repeal of ACA a tragedy

I was appalled by Congress’ rush to repeal ACA, leaving millions in danger of losing their heath insurance. As a 66-year-old small-business sole proprietor whose mother and two older sisters have all experienced breast cancer in their early- to mid-sixties, ACA made it possible for me to have mammograms two years in a row until I turned 65. At this point, the insensitivity of our elected officials toward middle-class working Americans has caused me to fear my Medicare will be replaced by a voucher program that will not cover my medical costs adequately should I develop breast cancer and could leave me with thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket medical expense.

While the quick and heartless repeal of ACA alarms and saddens me, I am more concerned about proposed changes to Medicare. Seniors simply cannot afford to pay large amounts of out-of-pocket health care expense in our retirement years. Congress appears to either be out of touch with the way most seniors struggle financially even as we continue to work, or they are simply too concerned with lining the pockets of private insurance CEOs to care. I encourage other seniors and the press to stand behind leaving Medicare a public service that is not made less cost-effective by the desire of for-profit insurance companies to increase their profit margin.