Continually rising health costs too much to bear

Since my husband and I retired in 2001, our health insurance has gone up more than

300 percent and will increase another 40 percent in 2010. The country cannot cope with continued health care cost growth. We need regulation, competition among health insurance companies and negotiated prices with drug suppliers.

Americans pay more per person for health care than any other country in the world and yet we are ranked 39th for what we get. We have excellent hospitals and doctors. But many people cannot afford any health care, are forced into bankruptcy because of medical costs or have their medical coverage denied or canceled at the discretion of health insurance companies.

Soaring health care costs hamper our ability to make purchases that stimulate the economy. They burden U.S. employers in being competitive with foreign companies and impair attempts to improve unemployment.

We need real reform now that includes everyone, a public option for competition, acceptance of pre-existing conditions and no cancellation of coverage because we get sick.

Pat and Jim Lahr

Cedar Rapids