to the editor: The magnificent article on the consequences of cutting healthcare subsidies is heartbreaking (“The loss of health care subsidies forces Californians to pay more or go without them,” February 6).
The individual stories of what people are going through after Congress narrowly voted to let enhanced federal subsidies for the Affordable Care Act expire are shocking. Just so billionaires can get even more favorable tax treatment.
The rat's nest of our incredibly complex and increasingly unaffordable insurance system does not have to exist. No other high-income country subjects its population to such unnecessary real suffering.
It doesn't have to be like this.
As the final commentary of the article says, we need a universal system of unified public financing: expanding Medicare to cover everyone. That's enough.
Steve Tarzynski, Santa Monica
This writer is the former president of the nonprofit advocacy group California Physicians Alliance.
