To the Editor:

We, the people of the U.S., paid over $3 trillion for health care in 2016, yet the quality of the care we receive today is far below the standards of other developed countries. Families are driven to bankruptcy due to overwhelming medical bills.

Driven by greed, the blame for the illness of our health care system can be laid at the feet of our physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical houses, DME providers, and insurance companies. They are all responsible. I know because I participated in the system for years.

Unfortunately, these groups have powerful lobbies in the congress, and, as always, money talks.  Currently, none of our Representatives in the House actually represent the interests of the residents of the 9th Congressional District, which includes my home in Floyd County.

We need to elect a person who will stand up to the moneyed lobbies and work to treat our broken system.  We are hemorrhaging money like a bleeding artery. The sad fact is that there is already enough money in the system to pay for the high-quality health care that the richest nation in the history of the world deserves.

I have personally spoken with Mr. Anthony Flaccavento, candidate for representative in the 9th Congressional District about these concerns.  It is clear to me that HEALTH CARE STANDS AT THE TOP OF HIS PRIORITY LIST. He is not beholden to any lobby group or industry, in fact has refused to accept such their donations to his campaign fund. He stands alone in his ability to place the citizens of the 9th ahead of powerful medical lobbies. I was impressed by his candor, integrity, and willingness to compromise to produce results.

If health care is high on your priority list, I strongly suggest you consider Mr. Flaccavento to represent the people of Southwest Virginia. Do it before you get sick and become an unhappy statistic in our health care nightmare.

Respectfully,

Linville M. Meadows, M.D.
Willis