Opinion
End Medicare hypocrisy by making it mandatory for those now in charge
LETTER — Posted Nov. 6, 2006
Congress and the White House have repeatedly failed to correct problems with the Medicare program because they have no real stake in the program. They are covered by their own exclusive medical plan.
The AMA should pioneer a people's initiative to require all senators and House representatives, as well as the White House, to live under the Medicare program.
Forcing them to live under Medicare program's benefits, prescription drug programs and regulations will give them a stake in making it a program that works and preserves access. The hypocrisy of our government forcing us to live under one set of rules, while the ruling class lives with an entirely different set of rules, must come to an end. This is the only way we can make our legislators and executive branch officials truly accountable to the laws they create and force the population to live under.
Benjamin T. Hu, MD, Coupeville, Wash.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/11/06/edlt1106.htm.
