I appreciated and understood Craig Campbell’s Sept. 14 guest column, “Improve our access to asset of health care,” in how we, as citizens, have all invested in our nation’s roads, education, public safety, and other community assets. Most of us understand the common benefit of these investments to society.

His metaphor of our universal need for water is appropriate as we share this resource to survive; — just as we share the need for health care. To those who question the need for universal access to health care, think of the situation where “your house” is on fire and the fire department didn’t have “the water” to extinguish it. The individual cost of this investment is lessened when the contributing pool is greater. Ironically, Mitt Romney did the same while serving as governor in Massachusetts.

With auto insurance in Iowa, we are required to carry it or suffer the penalty of law. The quality of health care and its cost should be held accountable. The broader view of our nation should focus on the benefit derived from improving the health of all of our citizens. A healthier citizenry will enhance our capacity to solve the challenges of our future.

Tom Saxen

Cedar Rapids