Don't return to failed health care of the past

So far neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have solved America's most serious health care problem: the rapidly rising cost of health care, health insurance and prescription drugs. In any given year health care costs increase at two to three times the rate of inflation. The U.S. currently spends twice as much per person on health care as any other developed country.

What solution does Lauren Underwood offer? A nostalgic return to Obamacare (which she helped administer), combined with relentless attacks on Randy Hultgren. How quickly we forget that Obamacare was failing. Insurance companies were dropping out of the exchanges, those that remained were increasing their premiums, healthy people were not signing up for health insurance and some people with pre-existing conditions were being charged higher premiums.

In addition, people purchasing health insurance through their employers were being pushed into "high deductible" policies. For example, my deductible rose from $1,000 to $4,000 over the course of three years, which meant I had to pay out-of-pocket for all doctor visits and prescription drugs.

For problems of this magnitude, we need courageous people who are willing to reach across the aisle and craft bipartisan solutions. We don't need partisan people like Lauren Underwood pushing us back to Obamacare.

Douglas J. Filkins

Mount Prospect