John Forman’s “My Point of View” in the Aug. 6 edition is thankfully moderate in tone and conveys some useful information. Most would agree that there is no “free” in health care, and my colleagues in the single-payer movement should be more careful when describing how it works. “Free” applies only to point of use, such as your doctor’s office, where we would do away with deductibles, co-pays and other up front charges that are a dangerous disincentive to seeking care.

Mr. Forman, however, fails to mention two problems with our current system, based on commercial insurance. Ours is the world’s most expensive health care system, yet 30 million Americans are without coverage. This is not working.

Comparative studies point to the structure of our health coverage system as the culprit. It is incredibly complicated, fractured, administratively-heavy and, thus, wasteful. Think of our public school system as a comparative. What if 30 million kids were excluded and costs were case-dependent and unpredictable? What if schools billed each family monthly for itemized services? What a mess that would be! How about a health care system that prioritizes access to doctors and takes care of finances in the most efficient way possible?

That would mean extending the principles of traditional Medicare to everyone. It’s not complicated!

Joel Clemmer

St. Paul