Universal Health Care Is Pro-Business

To The Editor:

President Obama passed the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) with the help of Sen. McCaskill.

What have Republicans done to lower health care costs?

Gov. Blunt callously removed thousands from Medicaid. His senator father said he’d do away with Medicare if he could. Compassionate conservatives Vicki Hartzler, Peter Kinder, Todd Akin, and JoAnn Emerson disparage the AFA, which is already helping many.

What alternative does the Republican Party have, that will expand access? Nothing.

State Republicans shot down Gov. Nixon’s compromise plan with the state’s hospital association, which would have covered thousands more people.

Meanwhile, the cost of medical care has skyrocketed, and wages have not increased at the same rate. Yet most of us, even the insured, are one illness or incident away from bankruptcy.

Those of you who think taxes will increase — for most, they will not. The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office actually said the AFA will reduce the deficit. Those of you who hate government bureaucracy — it couldn’t be any worse than trying to convince an HMO to help out.

Those of you who fear socialism — know that conservatives such as Churchill, Thatcher and Teddy Roosevelt all supported universal health care. Having universal care would eliminate the expense of providing medical insurance.

What’s more pro-business than that?