• Difference in those with money • Medicare must be protected for seniors Difference in those with money All billionaires are not alike. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan purchased their land because of their love of Kauai. Their purpose is to quietly
• Difference in those with money • Medicare must be protected for seniors
Difference in those with money
All billionaires are not alike. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan purchased their land because of their love of Kauai. Their purpose is to quietly enjoy their property and the island; they have been gracious and they welcome being a part of the community.
This is in stark contrast to multi-billionaires Pierre and Pam Omidyar and Steve Case who not only will not live on Kauai, but are continuing their quest to build and operate a 2,000 cow experimental industrial dairy, whose cow manure will dump into the Pacific Ocean; whose stench will devastate the visitor industry; whose sludge dump, less than 750 feet from one of three wells, will pollute the drinking water of all of Poipu and most of Koloa.
All this in the face of irrefutable scientific evidence and the very vocal opposition by the community which they want to destroy.
My request of you, editor, how about some investigative journalism?
Judith Rachap, Koloa
Medicare must be protected for seniors
Our nation celebrated Medicare’s 50th anniversary just over a year ago, yet there is now a move in Congress to drastically change the program that has achieved so much.
The push for a Medicare voucher system, sometimes called premium support, is an effort to shift costs onto 268,118 individuals on Medicare in our state, a number that is rising fast. In other words, you will have to pay more to get the care you need – if you can even afford it under a voucher system. More people will be forced to choose between health care and other necessities.
I have been on Medicare for 10 years and it has been a lifesaver for my medical needs. I am covered also by HMSA so that offsets the balance that Medicare doesn’t pick up.
When he was running for president, Donald Trump pledged to protect Medicare, and recognized its importance to older Americans who depend on it. We are now depending on Congress to stand by President Trump’s promise to protect Medicare. Medicare helps keep older people out of poverty and enables them to live with independence and dignity.
Rising health care costs are a problem for Americans of all ages and political views. It needs to be tackled by both parties. Our nation has been well served by a strong Medicare program that keeps care affordable for seniors. A proposed voucher system would dramatically increase costs for older Americans at a time of life when they can least afford it.
Janice S. Bond, Lihue
