WW welcomes letters to the editor via mail, e-mail or fax. Letters must be signed by the author and include the author's street address and phone number for verification. Preference will be given to letters of 250 words or less. TO DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM The WW article dated Jan. 12, 2000 ["Health Care for All"], introduces a universal single-payer initiative sponsored by Health Care for All-Oregon to be presented to the voters in November. The article assures your readership that the initiative is not likely to survive and is simply a dream created by Betty Johnson, who is a retired social worker and chairman of HCFA-Oregon. But you don't say why the initiative is likely to fail or how it would improve the lives of the 500,000 Oregonians who are currently deprived of good health care because they lack insurance and therefore access to our present health-care system. You also ignore those of us who are insured but can not afford to purchase medications because drug companies charge twice as much for a drug sold in America as they charge for it in Mexico or Canada. You don't mention the mentally ill who wander our streets without proper supervision or psychiatric care, or our seniors who must be bankrupt before the state provides nursing-home care. You say the initiative will fail because Oregonians will not vote for a plan that adds to their tax burden, but you don't say that in our present system insurance companies keep 25 percent of every premium dollar collected for their profit and overhead. And you don't tell us that in most cases the increased tax is less than we now have to pay in deductibles, co-payments and additional premiums for pre-existing illnesses. Yes, we know the odds against this plan are overwhelming because the insurance industry will do its best to retain this lucrative business for itself. This universal single-payer plan will allow all Oregon residents total choice of their health-care provider and total coverage for medically necessary health-care needs. It is only fair to give the voters the facts about the plan and allow them to decide for themselves rather than summarily write it off as an impossible dream. Ray Gordon Northwest Cornell Road - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published January 26, 2000