Myrick’s stance highlights health debate hypocrisy

TO THE EDITOR:

Thank you so much for Tuesday’s article describing how the N.C. congressional delegation voted (“Health care reform divides N.C. delegation,” Nov. 17).

It is ironic that the members of Congress, who voted against health care reform, receive excellent medical care in the form of taxpayer-subsidized, top-of-the-line insurance coverage while their constituents languish.

The most egregious example in North Carolina is Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., who was elected in 1994 and developed breast cancer while in office, the treatment of which was paid for by her constituents.

Yet she screams about socialized medicine.

I guess socialism is okay if you are a congresswoman, but not for anyone else.

A few weeks ago I saw a young woman in the hospital who was just out of college.

 She had two severe chronic conditions but had done really well until she outgrew her parent’s insurance coverage.

Unable to afford her medicines, she is now disabled, unemployed and in and out of the hospital.

Write to your senators and ask them why it fair for them to be subsidized by the taxpayers, but not their constituents.

If we don’t pass this legislation now, then you too could end up like that young woman.

 

Charles van der Horst
Professor
School of Medicine