Opinion

We can't afford our current system

Posted February 13, 2010 10:00 pm

How long can the U.S. allow health care costs to keep the current pace of increase?

Health care insurance premiums and cost increased drastically is a fact. How long can we drag on without severely ruining the financial health of individual families and our country?

I personally know this acutely and painfully. Since I started working as a self-employed professional in March 2006, my insurance premium has increased from $252.80 to $415.91 monthly. This is individual coverage for myself only. I am well and fit with no chronic illness. I basically only see my doctors for an annual check up.

I am not sure how anyone thinks this rate of increase, a 64 percent jump in four years, is acceptable. Change is hard. That is true not only for average Americans who like to keep what is "working" now. But also the many educated and accomplished such as the editorial columnists or individual journalists who advocate against health care reforms. But how long we can keep the status-quo?

Nan Zhang

Palatine

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