Thirty-two of 33 developed nations have universal healthcare, with the United States the lone exception. The cost to us is 50% to 100% higher per capita than these other countries, yet the World Health Organization ranks the U.S. at 37 out of 199 in health-care outcomes. With what we spend we should be number one. Let these other countries show you how to do it so we can be “great again.” All your finagling down there in Washington keeping the insurance companies and lobbyists happy is not the way. Time for them to go.

Big Pharma is a disgrace. The Regeneron CEO was paid over $47 million in 2016. In 2010, the United Health Care CEO reportedly made $101.96 million. They also own millions of shares in their companies—and we pay the dividends. There are dozens of pharmaceutical and health- care companies, as you well know, operating the same way. We need radical change if we are going to “be great again.”

Why can Denmark (as an example, and I know it’s a small country) pay an average rate of 45% in taxes and yet everything is paid for from cradle to grave: health care, child care, university, nursing home care, etc. No wonder they are rated the happiest country in the world. We spend almost five months paying our taxes, or about 40%, and get very little in return. And you people want to cut Medicaid for the poor and give it to the rich. Where’s the logic? So, we struggle on and watch our kids do the same. I would say we are riddled with greed and more greed to keep the wealthy wealthy.

To make health care affordable for all would require radical change. Insurers, doctors, hospitals, drug companies, medical device makers and malpractice lawyers strive to make as much money as possible “tending” to the sick.

Too many people and companies have a vested interest in a health-care system that’s the most expensive and inefficient in the civilized world. So, that is what we’ll continue to have no matter whose name precedes “care.”

People don’t get raises as in past years, as more and more money is needed to pay for higher and higher health insurance premiums. No wonder prices on goods keep going up. Whatever you do, keep the wealthy wealthy!

We feel our Washington representatives are playing us and pretending to fix a broken health care system. Lies and a “swamp” that’s been filled by this administration stink to high Heaven.

[Joanne Morse is a resident of Damascus, PA.]