July 12 — To the Editor:

James Scamman asks why Democrats only offer single-payer insurance as their solution. Unfortunately they don't. Single payer was banned from debate prior to the passage of Obamacare, and even now they are holding firm their allegiance to that bill. But independents like me, 80 percent of New Hampshire primary care physicians, and 58 percent of the public do support expanding Medicare.

People support Medicare for All (the ultimate single-payer plan) because everyone is covered for life at an affordable rate, because they see every other major country providing full coverage at 50 percent or less than what we are paying right now, and because they are sick of the political bickering by fully covered politicians who offer nothing to their constituents and seem to care little about exploding costs and price gouging.

They like the idea of a system where you pay your premium and never see a bill and have no additional out of pocket expenses. They like that you are not tied to your job with your fully portable coverage. They like that someone will finally be in charge, concerned about you. And they like that insurance CEO's, one with salary and stock options of $66 million dollars per year, will be dismissed, and that money used for its intended purpose of contributing to your health care.

Medicare for All is not a communist plot. Eighty-six percent of Canadians support their system - and they live 2.9 years longer than us. And universal health care is popular in England, Germany, France, Australia and Taiwan- not one is copying our dysfunctional system.

The minister of Switzerland said it would be an embarrassment if one of his citizens became bankrupt from an illness.

Expanding Medicare is the only way to provide health care security to every citizen now and forever.

For those of you who would like to learn more, check out the Physicians for a National Health Program website at pnhp.org and watch the powerful movies, FIXIT and Big Pharma Market Failure, online at fixithealthcare.com

Your voice is powerful when you express your opinion to our senators and representative. Do it for your family.

For those of you opposed to covering everyone, please tell us why and what your solutions are. Code words like communist and socialized medicine don't cut it anymore.

Thomas Clairmont, MD

Portsmouth