Give our children a secure future

I am lucky to be of an age to be covered by Medicare. Many of my peers and I are very willing to support cost effective procedures, rethink end of life care, and accept personal responsibility for living a healthy lifestyle. We are not all shouting at legislators, spewing anger about proposed changes in current health care.

In T.R. Reids's book, "A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, Fairer Health Care," we learn that citizens in industrialized countries do have complaints.

Nowhere are all people satisfied at all times. Doctors know their salaries are not equal to their U.S. colleagues, people have to wait for nonemergency procedures, medical offices are Spartan, procedures and drugs are charged at government set rates.

However, the inconveniences are shared by all citizens, since all citizens are covered. Additionally, supplemental private insurance can be purchased. Companies have not been driven out of business. The concept of bankruptcy or denial of coverage is not on the radar.

Health care is considered a basic human right.

If we older Americans are concerned about future generations and the national debt, we need to step up to get this system working. Let's share the responsibility of instituting decent, universal health care before the system implodes and leaves our children and grandchildren swamped by status quo health care debt, shoddy or nonexistent health care. That's not a legacy we want to leave.

Julie Sass

Elk Grove Village