On the Hospital Closing

To the editor:

During all the hospital closing articles, I did not see any mention of our government efforts, only information about the Board and financial issues.

First of all, I think that the hospital at times was the only business in town where some folks could go in for their needs and go out without paying. Also, our insurance system seems to be designed to avoid paying for what they deem unnecessary.

When the Affordable Care Act became available, it included a proposal that some of taxpayer money could be used for medical care expenses and a proposal for everyone to choose a plan they could afford. Ted Cruz, our Senator, went to work to get rid of the entire Act. He appeared to want to tear down the Act rather than work to make it better. It ended up going to the Supreme Court and the insurance mandate for all citizens was taken out; therefore, money was eliminated that was needed to help our healthcare system.

One must not forget Governor Abbott’s response to the Affordable Care Act. He, along with several other Republican governors, refused to take additional Medicare dollars that would help folks pay their medical and hospital bills. I feel this was just “Political Grandstanding.” Small rural hospitals needed a healthcare system that works for all folks. We need leaders willing to sacrifice political influence, and work to develop a system that works for everyone.

One wonders if these factors might begin to hurt larger hospitals or maybe it has already.

Jeffrey Cook La Grange