Senate must keep health care alive

The House of Representatives finally did something that benefits the American public and not just the politicians and their special interests.

The debate is almost identical to the debate surrounding Medicare when it passed the Congress.

Most of the Republicans were against any public insurance plan and most Democrats wanted to do more than was necessary. Today, most people wouldn't favor dismantling Medicare, the VA health system, Medicaid, or any military health program, yet these are all public insurance programs.

The United States does not enjoy the best in health care of industrialized nations and yet it is the most expensive.

As a former hospital CEO, I have seen the excessive profits that are built into our health system, in the form of high drug costs, high health insurance costs, high medical supply costs, and the profits doctors, hospitals, nursing homes include in the patients costs.

I am very disappointed that my representative, Mark Kirk, who is running for the Senate put his and the insurance industry's interests first.

My thanks to the bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives that passed "The Affordable Health Care for America Act."

Now it's up to the Senate to do the right thing and represent the interests of the public and not just the few who profit from leaving heath insurance the way it is. To our senators, for once, do the right thing and help the American public and not just your political donors.

Yale Wolk

Buffalo Grove