To the editor:

All across America urban and communities tend to have higher average incomes, greater wealth and higher levels of education. People with greater wealth and more education have better access to medical care and better health and longer life expectancy.

For this reason, the Affordable Care Act (or ObamaCare) has benefited rural counties and states more than urban areas. A well-documented column by Dr. Benjamin Sommers points out that people in states that expanded Medicaid experienced dramatic increases in health insurance coverage, a sizeable drop in out-of–pocket medical expenses and report significant improvement in health.

Working class Americans have struggled with worsening health outcomes and economic challenges. The study shows that the ACA has produced major benefits for this group. Seventy percent of people in the study had pre-existing conditions covered by the ACA.

The replacement bill for the ACA released falls short on these and other coverages. If it passes, the impact on the more affluent in America will be negligible or even lighten their load, but the impact on people in poorer counties and states will be profound.

If you care about the wellbeing elderly and or lower income people in or out of our state, call your senators today and urge them not to support the Senate American Health Care Act (AHCA).

If you have friends or relative in a Red State, urge them to call their senators. Any senator in any state can be reached at (1-800-826-3688).

ALAN NEWBERG

Bremerton