Facebook Twitter

Letter: I was a social worker. I know we can’t afford to repeal Obamacare

SHARE Letter: I was a social worker. I know we can’t afford to repeal Obamacare
AP20286692395453.jpg

From left, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., hold photographs of people affected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during a news conference, after the confirmation hearing of President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, in Washington, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020.

Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press

As a retired social worker, I’m well aware that the costs we bear as a society are greater when we fail to provide assistance to people with basic unmet needs. The potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act, currently pending, presents a glaring example.

Losing the ACA during this pandemic will exacerbate the current problems we are witnessing with COVID-19. Without the ACA and protection for preexisting conditions, this will impose further stress, and everyone will pay for it. Without a replacement for the ACA, and as long as private health care is for profit, repealing the ACA is shortsighted and foolish and demonstrates a blatant disregard for our fellow citizens. Utah’s attorney general, Sean Reyes, represents Utah in a multistate attempt to end the ACA.

The unmet needs of other people don’t go away because we refuse to address them — instead they become more expensive for everyone. We become reactive rather than proactive in our failure to elect real leadership.

Utah’s current governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general have played a significant part. They do not deserve your vote; we have better candidates on the ballot.

Gina Timmerman

Ogden