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National health care would benefit everyone
I approve of a national health plan for everyone. Everyone has the right to good health, whether you are poor or rich, young or old.
The insurance companies are against it because it’s not in their best interests.
These and some other self-interested companies and most Republicans are against a national health plan. We must not let these few stop us with their lies. They are saying that the people would not get good care; now that is real funny because most people don’t get any care until it is too late.
I have Medicare but I have to pay every time I see a doctor and some of my medications carry a $100 (co-pay). Now is that a good thing?
Think about it people, and write to your representatives for national health care.
Teachers’ group official has hopes for new bishop
The news of Bishop Joseph Martino’s retirement is the beginning of the end of a dark era for Catholicism in the Scranton Diocese.
Bishop Martino did a tremendous amount of damage in the diocese. But nowhere was greater damage done than to the once proud system of Catholic education.
We challenge any teacher, parent, administrator or student to stand up and say that they believe that Catholic education is better off today than it was before the devastation wrought by Bishop Martino and his minions in the Catholic Schools Office.
The reason the school system is in such a state is that teachers, who are the key to success in any school system, have been rendered voiceless by being deprived of a union. Without such a voice, their ideas and opinions these last two years counted for naught.
Let’s hope that when whoever becomes the next bishop makes plans to undo the damage, he is intelligent enough to trace the history of what Bishop Martino did to get the diocese in the mess it’s in. If he does that, he will find that Bishop Martino never had any problems until he decided to bust our union. In doing so, he seriously underestimated the community’s reaction, especially the tens of thousands of Catholics who make up the labor community.
In effect, his actions desecrated “holy ground.” The modern labor movement was born in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Catholic Church in Scranton was mid-wife to this birth. To see the church turn its back on labor rights is never something that will be acceptable in this part of the world.
As we did immediately upon the arrival of Bishop Martino, the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers will extend a hand to the new bishop and ask that we work together to rebuild Catholic education in the Diocese of Scranton. Let’s all pray that the new bishop has the wisdom and courage to accept our offer.
Health reform requires all to become informed
I am a conservative Republican. Having read many columns about health care reform and listened to many lawmakers and others comment on the subject, I have come to the conclusion that we all are misinformed and don’t understand what is trying to be reformed. It breaks down to what our status in life is.
So many accepted “facts” are not only misleading but aren’t facts at all. 1. Uninsured Americans? It is accepted that approximately 45 million to 50 million Americans are uninsured. Are illegal aliens Americans? Are younger Americans who voluntarily opt out of the ranks of insured included in this group? Do we really know who and how many are uninsured? I think not.
2. Who is responsible for the soaring costs in medical care? Are insurance companies the culprit, as was the conclusion of a letter to the editor on Aug. 9? Do frivolous lawsuits, Medicare fraud, personal irresponsibility (obesity, smoking, excessive drinking, etc.), government over- or under-regulation of the insurance and medical and trial lawyers professions, outdated tax laws and trips to the emergency room that might be unnecessary not enter into this discussion?
3. Political posturing? With Washington being controlled by large Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, is it possible to even define reform affecting such a massive diverse group of Americans? Let’s be serious. With the groups being seniors (me), women, men, white, black, Hispanic and others, what does reform mean to each?
The point is that unless we are informed with specific definitions and specific plans, no acceptable conclusions can be made. So please, everyone, don’t allow the rhetoric to drive a “reform plan” that hasn’t even been written yet.
Toomey called shill of insurance firms
Mr. Pat Toomey’s recent commentary is filled with only half of the story. He states that between 2000 and 2007 medical insurance premiums have skyrocketed 86 percent. What he left out was profits of the top 10 publicly traded medical insurance carriers have soared 428 percent during that same timeframe.
He claims that government bureaucrats will come between doctors and patients. Right now, insurance companies are doing exactly that. I know from experience that my doctor has to have a lawyer on retainer to force insurers to live up to their policies, driving up health care expenses.
This country’s entire health care system is employer-based, but employers can no longer afford the outrageous cost of medical insurance. For them, it’s either discontinue workers’ medical insurance or go bankrupt. Domestic companies are at a competitive disadvantage with foreign companies that do not have the exorbitant cost of providing their employees with health care. So what’s the alternative, Mr. Toomey, more of the same and wait until the entire country is bankrupt?
You cite the nonpartisan Lewin Group as a source for your doom-and-gloom scenario. The Lewin Group is wholly owned by United Healthcare whose self-interest is keeping the status quo to maximize its profit. It seems your sky-is-falling scenarios are meant to scare people into thinking private insurance carriers cannot compete against the government and will collapse. You might want to talk to the CEOs of FedEx and UPS. They are in direct competition with the U.S. post office. Both of those companies are doing extremely well.
As far as the tax code is concerned, individuals who itemize deductions already can deduct medical expenses, including premiums and co-pays. The first 7.5 percent of medical expenses are not deductible, however. And, by the way, who put that 7.5 percent floor into the tax code? It was the hero of the Republican Party, President Ronald Reagan, as part of the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
I do agree with two of your points. The insurance companies have a monopoly in each state. Increased competition might reduce premium costs, although it is a gamble at best. Utility deregulation and increased competition hasn’t had the stellar results we were led to believe.
The other point is frivolous lawsuits. They need to be stopped and any attorney who files a frivolous lawsuit disbarred. However, Missouri drastically reined in its malpractice lawsuits. Have premiums declined in that state? No. Insurance company profits increased, nothing more.
I look forward to you running for Senate, Mr. Toomey, so I can cast my vote against you. You are trying to define yourself as a defender of individual rights, but in my opinion you are nothing more than a shill of the medical insurance companies.
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