Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

The magic two words for all -  health care.

President Obama says that we need health care for everyone. I don't begrudge anyone for having health care but I think he is going about it all wrong. Why should 85 percent of the population have to give up something they are happy with for 15 percent or less of the population? Some 40 million people supposedly are not covered. Of the 40 million approximately 15 to 20 million are here illegally. Why should criminals be entitled to health care that citizens and legal residents would have to make payments to ensure their coverage?

 I have an idea that would solve the whole problem. First, make sure that only people legally entitled to live in the United States are eligible. Contact all insurance companies in the U.S. and let them know what is going to happen. Advise them that the government is looking for a group policy that must cover healthy people, people with existing conditions and people in-between. There will be approximately 15 to 20 million people in the group.

Put the bid out and see what happens. I am sure that the bids would be in the neighborhood of $10 to $15 billion per year. The savings over Obama's plan would be astronomical. You do know that $1 trillion is the same as a billion dollars takes a thousand?

Also going this way people that are happy with their current plans would not have to worry about government intrusion into their lives as the current health plans would give government full access into a person’s financial records, i.e. banking, savings, insurance policies, CDs, etc.

 Finally, the government could assist in starting up medical colleges in various parts of the country to help increase the number of doctors that would be needed to cover any health plan.

Dale Burnhan
Ripon
Aug. 17, 2009