Peter V. Andrews: Health care’s real villains

Regarding J. Peder Zane’s July 29 column “What Obamacare supporters mean by ‘success’ ”: Zane told us why he doesn’t like Obamacare: It helps the poor more than it helps the middle class, meaning himself.

Zane cited his own experience with the Affordable Care Act, concluding: “Obamacare is a great deal for the poor and crushing for the middle class. ... It was always a way, along with Medicaid expansion, to cover the poor.”

A rereading of the column and the quotes given above provide proof that Zane worked himself into a frenzy over the fact that the poor receive more benefits from the Affordable Care Act than he does. The use of the word “crushing” is totally inappropriate in context.

Zane did in fact receive benefits from the ACA. He just didn’t receive as much as a poorer person might have.

Shame on Zane! And next time he rants, please direct his anger toward the real villains in the health care mess: the insurance companies, drug companies and all whose excessive profits drive up health care costs, and the Republicans who refuse to allow any rational public discussion of health care issues and solutions.

This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Peter V. Andrews: Health care’s real villains."