Letter: 1% who don't need Medicare can call it socialism

Cherilyn Bacon Eagar's op-ed in the Tribune ("Slide toward socialized medicine started with Medicare," Opinion, Nov. 23) could have been entitled, "Why can't y'all just be like me?"

Probably because you, Ms. Bacon Eagar, are part of the 1 percent who don't need these programs. Raised in Hollywood, father a surgeon. Excellent. Still, Bacon Eagar takes us through insurance laws beginning with Medicare in 1965, calls them socialism and in essence says society (i.e., people) doesn't need these programs because, "Why can't y'all just be like me?"

What about the millions of people who have benefited from Medicare for the past 48 years. Absent Medicare, absent Medicaid, who would have paid for the care of our elderly, our greatest generation, those who have fought our wars, built our roads and our buildings, educated our children?

Bacon Eagar may safely sit back because when she's elderly, she'll never have to rely on Medicare, never need Medicaid to enter a nursing home, never need prescription drug coverage, never need to seek health care in an ER, maybe never need health insurance. Really?

John Neville

Salt Lake City