I am a proud participant in a government-run health care program called Medicare. When I was 65, I signed up for the program. Although I had a precondition called cancer, I was not canceled because of that precondition.

If it were not for Medicare, I would be without health insurance unless I paid a very high premium.

The premium for my wife and me is about $200 per month. With private insurance, the premium would be many times that amount. Our income of Social Security and a pension would not be adequate to cover the cost.

In a similar way, the unemployed and low-income people without employer-based insurance would not be able to afford current medical insurance costs.

With this "socialistic" government-run program, I do choose my own doctor.

I have a daughter who has a good private medical plan through her employer. But she does not get to choose her doctor. The insurance company chooses it for her. She has had three primary care doctors in the past two years.

I am very happy with this government-run program called Medicare.

I only wish others of limited income who were not 65 and over would have a similar opportunity.