In his recent op-ed, Dr. Jeffrey Barkin highlights one of the ways in which private health insurers let us down: They withdraw from markets where profit objectives are not being met. Patients often must find a new doctor or might no longer have access to the nearest hospital.

It gets worse. All over the country, care providers are fed up and are leaving insurance networks. In Maine last year, Northern Light Health withdrew from Humana’s Medicare Advantage network, citing “delayed and denied payments for medically necessary care.” Again, doctor-patient relationships can be severed and choice restricted.

Private insurers require prior authorization for many tests, medicines and procedures, or they will not pay. Authorization is frequently denied unjustifiably, and patients can discover that their insurance isn’t there when they need it most. This reflects the inescapable conflict between making a profit and meeting the needs of patients. If profits are down, costs are cut by issuing more denials.

In my opinion, commercial health insurance is irredeemable. It is time to treat health care as an essential public good and to institute single-payer (publicly funded) universal health care. Recent polling shows strong public support for it. 

We know from numerous studies that single-payer health care is economically feasible. We also know, from experience with Medicare, that the government can administer health insurance more efficiently, more honestly and more justly than commercial insurers.

It is imperative that our elected representatives recognize this and that they respect and act upon the needs and wishes of their constituents.

Michael Bacon
Westbrook