Debate on health insurance happens in and out of library

Date: 8/4/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE - Some of the debate over the proposed reform of health insurance in the nation was played out at the Chicopee Public Library on Thursday.

Inside the library, proponents of a single payer plan based on the current Medicare system were celebrating Medicare's 44th birthday. Outside on the sidewalk across the street, protesters held signs that declared such revisions as "socialism."

According to a statement read by Mayor Michael Bissonnette from Congressman Richard Neal, the proposal to extend a revised Medicare plan to the American public isn't going to happen.

The celebration drew about 15 people and there were about 10 protesters.

The Western Massachusetts chapter of Jobs With Justice and its affiliated program the Western Massachusetts Single Payer Network sponsored the birthday celebration.

Jon Weisman of Jobs with Justice said the existence of both Medicare and the health program offered to veterans by the Veterans Administration are both examples of government-run health care. The biggest difference in the two systems is that Medicare allows its subscribers to pick their own doctors.

The satisfaction level for both programs is "sky high," he added.

The chance, though, that legislation the group supports to expand Medicare, goes further in the House is doubtful, according to the statement from Neal.

Although Neal wrote that "no program in American history has been more successful that Medicare," an expansion and revision of the program is "simply not the approach being taken by the House, Senate or the President."

Bissonnette said that besides the citizens on Medicare and the veteran program, there are many other people on government-run health plans. Those include city, state and federal employees.

The mayor noted that one of the protesters is a government employee.

Weisman is hoping the Chicopee City Council will pass a resolution similar to those approved by the Northampton and Springfield bodies to support a single payer system.

Sandra Lapollo, the executive director of the city's Senior Center, said the amount of paperwork is one of the few complaints she has heard from the city's seniors about Medicare. Bissonnette said there is an "incredible amount of bureaucracy" and that reform in paperwork could help contain costs for such an expanded program.

Outside on the sidewalk, Sandra Metz of Longmeadow questioned just how a new government system could work.

Responding to assertions that by adding the current number of people in the nation who are not insured to a government program, Metz said, "You can't save money and add 50 million people to the rolls."

Metz, who said her husband is a physician, said the biggest problem is an expanded government system is who or what defines "quality care." She added the current number of doctors is not adequate for caring for a greatly increased number of patients.

The formula of more patients, the same number of doctors and a decrease in the overall cost of health care didn't seem logical to her.