To the Editor:

As the daughter of a World War II vet, I am saddened by the state of affairs within the VA system. But, more concerning, I am becoming more and more alarmed that this will be the state of government-
run health care.

My last job as a nurse practitioner was within a healthcare system on the West Coast. This system was very close to socialized medicine in a self-funded insurance setting.

There were wait lists for appointments and procedures. The doctors were given an average salary and had no incentive to increase patient load or increase the amount of procedures done each week nor did they care about the quantity or quality of healthcare.

Why worry about a wait list, they were paid the same for one procedure a week or several.

All employees, including RNs and NPs, were forced into unions. Service was poor and things were dumbed down to mediocrity. My husband and I both had cancer while out there and were on the operating room table within three weeks. Thank goodness we had private insurance through his company and not the other insurance through my work.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen supports government-run insurance and cast the deciding vote. Government should not run healthcare.

SUSAN HERCEG

Amherst