• Health care rights •
Uplifting signs • Summer
options
Health care rights
I keep hearing about people who are demanding “free healthcare”. Who are these people? I don’t know anyone in that category. I’m willing to raise -MY- taxes to pay for it.
I do know that our current health care system is extremely expensive yet provides outcomes that were ranked 72nd out of 191 countries in a WHO study; that the USA is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not ensure the health of its citizens; and that the Commonwealth Fund ranked the US last in quality while being the most expensive.
“Good Health Insurance”, whatever that is, now costs a family of four more than $1200/month. Much of that cost goes to the corporate CEO who may take home billions (yes that is a “b”) and overhead costs as high as 30 percent depending on the insurance company. Compare this to the 3 percent overhead costs of Medicare.
I have a “right” to an honest transaction. I have the “right” to the services that I have paid for. But the insurance companies have routinely denied proven treatments resulting in the death of their customers. There is no doubt that these are “death panels”, and there is no doubt that someone has to be empowered to make this life or death decision. Do you really want that decision to be in the hands of your for-profit insurance company?
I have these rights because I demand these rights. Even the so-called “inalienable rights endowed by their creator” can, and will be abrogated by the government unless citizens continue to demand them.
I advocate a single-payer system, which means the government pays the bills financed by taxes. This system also allows the government to control costs through negotiation with all healthcare providers.
The specifics, at least for now, of how healthcare is provided (Doctor, HMO, hospital) is open to any and all. A single-payer system does not prohibit you from purchasing additional insurance on the open market if you feel you need it.
If America is a compassionate nation, our citizens will demand healthcare reform.
John Zwiebel, Kalaheo
Uplifting signs
I for one enjoy seeing the signs congratulating our graduating seniors. They remind me of the great pride my wife and I had in our own childrens’ graduations many years ago on the mainland. These homemade signs exude the pride of the graduates’ family and friends, a really positive and uplifting emotion in a time when we are bombarded with negative and disastrous news. I think it is unfortunate that some individuals feel compelled to quickly remove these signs. This is in great contrast to the situation at election time when we are inundated by thousands of commercially made political campaign signs that are repeated everywhere you go and seem to be up for weeks if not months.
Peter Nilsen, Princeville
Summer options
I would like to contribute several ideas into the mix as we grow along in to our future, this summer.
If you please take the opposite direction with Government sponsored summer child care at the island’s neighborhood centers. Bigger and better government programs are not the best way to go. Island neighborhoods are capable of offering activities for young people in the not-even two months of no school. Government could be more supportive of existing clubs, organizations, agencies, churches in their efforts to educate our children and youth during the summer months, not compete with them, duplicating their programs and services. The keiki should be everyone’s concern and government should support existing community efforts. Over the years, I have seen many great programs offered to our island families that suffer from low enrollment. Yes, families need low-cost child care and can’t afford an enrichment program like theater, martial arts, dance classes, art courses, music camps, church programs or cheerleading, but it should not be an either or situation. A system could be designed where young people meet at the neighbor centers and then are transported into their communities for true enrichment programs. If a child is going to learn to fish you’d want them to go fishing with an experienced fisherman, not a novice intern. The same is true for the great offerings that exist for young people on Kaua‘i in the summer months.
A moment please to count our blessings while we still have them to count.
Mark Jeffers, Hanapepe
