Dear Editor,
Eighteen-thousand people die each year because they do not have medical insurance, and of those patients over one-third say they or someone in their family went without needed care, including recommended treatments or prescription drugs in the last year, because of cost. The fact that people are dying simply because they can’t afford to live is truly disturbing.
This American health-care system is sick. The cost for health care is constantly rising, yet wages stay the same ‘mdash; and with unemployment on the rise, the number of people who are uninsured will continue to rise as well as the unnecessary deaths.
Ninety percent of Americans believe the American health-care system needs fundamental changes or needs to be completely rebuilt. Two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government should guarantee universal health care for all citizens.
Something truly needs to change and we need to fix this broken system. If you’d like to hear more join CalPIRG, Amnesty International and the College Democrats at ‘A Prescription for Progress’ on Feb. 19, at Student Services Center Multipurpose Room (next to Yogurt World).