Letter: One vital word is missing: Affordable

What the new version of the American Health Care Act seems to do is assure that all of us have access to health and pharmaceutical insurance. However, one vital word is missing: Affordable. Millions of seniors live on their Social Security, plus modest pensions. When premiums on health insurance go up, their quality of life goes down. There are no brakes placed on premiums that can be charged by health insurers or pharmaceutical manufacturers. What I think is needed is that the new law provides that 85 percent of every premium dollar must go to the delivery of direct health care services.

Marketing costs for prescription drugs marketed to the general public should not be a tax deductible expense, or able to be used to compute the cost of a drug sold to the public through doctor's prescription only. Insurance companies should not be able to deduct marketing costs, or use those costs for premium calculations that do not relate directly to specific insurance plans being sold and marketed to the public (i.e., no generic all-purpose adds, or sporting events). Seniors should be able to purchase their health care needs at the same cost as everyone else. No penalty for aging.

Finally, the quality of medical insurance coverage available to we the people should be at the same cost as the health insurance available to the members of Congress. After all, they are part of we the people. They are not royalty — surprise to them.

Bruce Cohne

Salt Lake City