Why not health insurance for all?

To the Editor:

Your recent article about township supervisor benefits raises many issues for us, the tax-paying residents of those townships — in my case Plumstead. Health Insurance is one of those issues.

The very fact that townships have chosen to offer health benefits along with a small salary — in our township, it's about $3,000 for the year — points to the fact that health insurance is valuable compensation for a job that is not well paid.

One of our other supervisors commented that it did not seem fair that other volunteers within the community, such as firefighters and EMS crews, did not have that benefit offered to them.

The issue is not why do supervisors get health insurance at their job, but why doesn't everyone get it through their job, school, family, etc.?

Congressman Murphy is helping with his votes on SCHIP, but what about our other elected officials? State Rep. Quinn and State Senator McIlhinney talk about doing something, but they know there's more to be done. Let's not penalize those who have coverage, let's make sure we live in a country where basic health coverage is not a benefit, but something that all Americans enjoy.

In the meantime, would it be too far out of an idea to propose that our townships offer their group coverage rates to those who volunteer within the community as a benefit for helping our community?

Just a thought.

Sheree Cote
Plumstead Township

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/320-03112008-1501496.html