This is in response to the front-page report on health care financing (Dec. 26). The trend for states to step up to accommodate the dysfunctional nature of health care financing at the federal level is worrisome. The solution, compliments of Sandra Featherman and her blue ribbon committee, that states come up with more taxes, is absurd. This is especially the case in Maine, where we already pay more taxes than any other state.

The country already pays more for health care financing than any other country in the world. In fact, this is the only country in the Western world that does health care financing the way it does.

An alternative to the states’ accommodating the breakdown at the federal level would be for 100 communities to pressure senators to fix the federal program. We know how to fix it. But as long as states are willing to create supplemental financing, the feds have no incentive to fix the program.

Health care financing is a threat to families where individuals are forced to pay $1,000 per month or more for inadequate insurance; a threat to communities where police are forced to choose between cuts in their health care coverage or cuts in their salary; and, most worrisome, a threat to businesses who can’t afford to keep upping the ante to pay for their workers.

Why doesn’t the Senate fix the problem? Because the senators are beholden to the health care financing industry for campaign contributions.

James Tierney, Auburn