To the editor:

Many times, I’ve read about the Indiana opioid epidemic in this paper. I also see many arrests every week related to drugs. The reasons for the epidemic are multi-faceted with enough blame to go widely around to drug and insurance companies, medical and other health care providers.

In my opinion, one huge reason the epidemic has continued is because we have a woefully inadequate, inhumane system of health care.

The U.S. is at a health care crossroad that will play out in the 2020 elections. I think we are way overdue for a major overhaul of the system.

Full disclosure, I’m new to Brown County but not new to Indiana, having been born and raised in Indy (south side). I’ve worked my entire career in health care, health insurance and public health. From that career came two deeply held beliefs. 1. Corporations should not be allowed to profit from someone else’s misery, and 2. If you have the misfortune to become ill, you should be able to go a medical provider (any provider of your choosing) without concern about cost. These beliefs led me to support the public funded health care proposal called Medicare for All.

A group of nurses who are supporting Medicare for All have scheduled a People’s Assembly informational session on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Brown County Office Building in the Salmon Room. This is a nonpartisan discussion of our experiences with the health care system and the policies, including Medicare for All that are being proposed. Hope you can join us!

Paula Staley, Nashville