I am writing in response to the important letter written by Paul Craig in the Aug. 18 Gazette [“VA health care system can help inform ‘Medicare for All’”].
Mr. Craig is completely correct that there are huge parallels and similarities between the VA health care system (when its care delivery model is not threatened or eroded by the current federal administration’s mindless ‘DOGE’ mentality).
I am pleased that Mr. Craig agrees that the Northampton City Council was on the right path when it voted to support the passage into law of the Massachusetts state ‘Medicare for All’ bill (H1405/S860). I wrote the draft for that resolution, and was honored and pleased when it was unanimously passed by the council on June 10, 2025.
I too have experience with the excellent care that the VA system is capable of providing, having worked at that same facility as a physician for many years (though I write here as an individual.)
‘Medicare For All’ is actually modeled on the VA system, which is the only single payer, not for profit system in our country, providing all needed inpatient and outpatient medical care-including specialist care, dental, vision, skilled nursing care and medications without any “preexisting conditions.” The vast size of the VA system allows it to negotiate much lower pharmacy costs for all, as would ‘Medicare for All’ for all residents. Medicare for All would not supplant or substitute for the VA system!
The erosion of the offered care and staffing issues faced by the VA currently is, as Mr. Craig correctly noted, due to the current federal administration, and it does not reflect on the care that the Medicare for All model would provide if passed. Sadly, we are virtually the only high GDP country in the world that does not have a public, single payer health care system for all residents. (That is due to the huge lobbying efforts of pharma and insurance companies that influence our legislators). The VA system is the only current single-payer system in the country. It deserves support to continue to provide excellent care to all veterans, just as Medicare for All would provide to all Massachusetts residents if it were passed into law.
Dr. Shelly Berkowitz
Northampton