American Legion Post 1025 endorses Medicare for all

On Tuesday, February 12, 2019, the sixty-five member Donald Ashpole American Legion Post 1025, headquartered in Village of Thomson, Illinois, cast a unanimous vote adopting a resolution in favor of Enhanced Medicare for All.

The resolution’s sponsor, Korean Vet Art Donart, introduced it because the Blue Navy Vets suffering from Agent Orange, have not been able to get legislation passed to qualify for V. A. health care.

During the discussion, Vietnam Vet Terry Lattin brought out the fact that many veterans were without V. A. care because they had no service connected disability; yet they are in need of a health care provider.

Others complained about health care cost and the complexity of the system. Co-pays, deductibles, in-network/out-of-network were all bones of contention. Everyone seemed to have family members struggling with healthcare problems.

Features of Medicare for all that people liked were simplifying the system; covering everyone; and covering dental and hearing care. They also liked the provision for long-term care.

No one objected to a 4% tax to pay for the program as suggested in the Economic-Political Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts.   

Copies of the resolution, which appears below, will be mailed to Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and to Representative Cheri Bustos (IL 17). 

WHEREAS health care cost have risen faster than inflation over the last twenty years; and

WHEREAS Medicare has been the most efficient and cost effective delivery system for elderly health care; and

WHEREAS  health care cost have been an increasingly difficult burden for the taxpayers of all units of government, small businesses, and the self- employed; and

WHEREAS the current for profit health care system consumes 35 cents of every health care dollar on advertising, claims processing, administrative cost and stockholder dividends; and

WHEREAS the present system is costly, inefficient and fails to provide care to millions of citizens; and

WHEREAS the current health care system is riddled with co-pays that keep people from accessing the care they need; and allow insurance companies to override your doctor’s recommendations;

WHEREAS legislation to cover Blue Wave Navy veterans recently failed in the 115^th Congress House of Representatives;

WHEREAS enhanced Medicare for All would cover everything medically necessary including dental care, eye care, hearing aids and mental health; and

WHEREAS many veterans are ineligible to receive V. A. medical benefits,

 BE IT RESOLVED that the Thomson American Legion Donald Ashpole Post 1025 urges Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to support and co-sponsor Enhanced Medicare for All.

Adopted this 12^th day of February 2019.

Merrill Beck, Commander

Art Donart, PhD, is a member of the Board of Village of Thomson, Illinois, Board and of Carroll County Democrats, both of which have endorsed Medicare for all, and of the Village of Thomson Illinois Chamber of Commerce.