Otto Cleveland opposes Medicare for all because, apparently, he fears socialized medicine (“Socialized medicine would be harmful,” Star- Advertiser, Letters, April 14). However, if he is age 65 or older, he is likely already receiving socialized medicine in the form of Medicare.

Medicare has lower administrative costs than private health-care insurers, so more of Medicare’s funding goes toward medical care. Furthermore, Medicare’s participants are more satisfied with their medical care than subscribers of private health care insurance.

Cleveland claims that medical care in the U.S. is the best in the world. However, studies by many different organizations place the U.S. health care system outside the top 10, and the World Health Organization ranks it as No. 37.

A recent survey found that 6 in 10 Americans say that it is the federal government’s responsibility to guarantee health-care coverage for all Americans. Medicare for all — or something like it — is coming. The only question is when.

John Kawamoto

Kaimuki

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