Allen and Susan Spalt: Health care expenses need trimming

How can a modern, industrialized republic tolerate a health care system which punishes those who have the bad fortune to become sick or injured. The March 5 news article “Got health insurance?” cast a light on how the need for health care can financially ruin families and rob them of their ability to secure education for their children and retirement for themselves.

There is a solution: single-payer health care.

Imagine how much health care could be provided with the salaries of financial advisers, insurance executives and with the funds used to buy drug ads on television.

There is no justification for our health care system. UNC and Duke have hundreds of employees dedicated to helping patients figure out how to pay for their care. What if those salaries were dedicated to actual care?

This is only one of many inefficiencies in our “system.” Why are we willing to tolerate a system which robs Americans of adequate health care?

And now our elected officials want to dismantle the Affordable Care Act? For shame America.

This story was originally published March 18, 2017 at 6:40 PM with the headline "Allen and Susan Spalt: Health care expenses need trimming."