Consumer Watchdog – Protecting Patients - ProtPats - Action 5: Tell President Obama You Want The Option Of Joining Medicare

I support your plan of giving any American an option to the private insurance market. Americans should not have to turn 65 years old or become disabled to have access to a public health care program that controls overhead costs, provides broad, affordable access to care and protects patients against big bills.

Medicare's administrative overhead costs (2%) are far less than those of health insurers (25-50%). During these tough economic times I can't afford to waste money on health insurer profits and overhead.

The purchasing power of Medicare's vast enrollment can be tapped to decrease costs for all Americans. By adding Medicare as an alternative to private insurance, you can increase its buying power to further reduce medical expenditures.

Premium costs for the "public option" through Medicare would be about three-quarters of those for private insurance, and would save the U.S. $1 trillion over 10 years.

Finally, please oppose any plan that requires Americans to buy private health insurance policies. It will not solve our nation's health care problems and will only encourage the industry to demand higher premiums and more taxpayer subsidies, while providing less health care.