I have the best health insurance plan in America. I pay $100 a month in a premium, plus what I paid in previous years for my long-term health insurance. My employer pays each month, too, a small percentage of my income.

Much of the reason I pay so little is that the overhead is so much less: about 16 percent of my premium, versus the health insurance industry average of 31 percent.

Unfortunately for the nation, this plan is only available to those over 65. It’s called Medicare. I fail to understand why we don’t extend this plan to cover everyone.

You say it will cost the federal government more money? Out of one pocket more, yes. Out of the other pocket less, because we will cover everyone. We won’t be paying for the poor to go to the emergency room (way more expensive than a doctor visit), and because of the early screening Medicare covers, we will catch illness earlier and therefore treat it less expensively.

So yes, repeal the Affordable Care Act. But do not replace it with something so jury-rigged as Sen. Susan Collins’ three-part plan. Do something simple: Medicare for all.

Chalmers Hardenbergh
Freeport