Today's Letters: Use prevention to cut health costs

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published June 6, 2007

A new try on health care solution June 4, editorial 

Has anyone else noticed that all the current solutions being touted for the exorbitant cost of staying healthy in our country involve how to pay for it, not how to bring it down to a level affordable for all? Does the theory of preventive health care vs. disease treatment remind you of Yogi Berra's famous quote: "This is like deja vu all over again"?

The Democrats, Republicans and the independents are not willing to deal with the real reasons for the United States having the most expensive and least efficient health care system in the developed world: money-grubbing drug companies and insurance companies that are raking in record profits at the expense of the people they are supposed to be serving.

In addition, the legal system continues to bring frivolous lawsuits, which are often settled, many without litigation or merit, for millions of dollars. Add to this the refusal of our lawmakers to accept that reducing the cost of disease prevention as opposed to disease containment and treatment (as mentioned in David Broder's column Prevention gets traction) is the perfect solution for the pathetic state of affairs our medical system is in. By the way, the theory of the more economical path of disease prevention vs. disease containment has been bandied about for decades and was abandoned by health care providers as being not profitable enough for their stockholders.

So if we are really serious about providing quality health care for all (and heaven help us if this isn't priority No. 1), we need to choose politicians who promise and deliver the tools to ensure that the above mentioned causes of exorbitant medical care are dealt with. If our presidential candidates insist on finding the means to pay for runaway health costs instead of reducing the actual costs of it, we will continue to pay dearly to get well instead of pay to stay healthy.

Diana Rao, Tampa

Go to single-payer system

Sen. Barack Obama's convoluted proposal for reforming the fragmented nightmare of health care coverage is disappointing.

Private insurance companies will always charge the maximum that the traffic will bear; the notion that competition drives down premiums has become an amusing relic of the past. The feeding frenzy we have witnessed in home- owners' insurance should be a permanent bar to insurance companies' participation in a simplified scheme.

A comprehensive, single-payer system administered solely by the state - as in almost every other nation - is the only rational option.

Nick Hobart, New Port Richey

No 'right' to die 

"Dr. Death" released on parole after 8 years June 2, story

The paroling of Jack Kevorkian is probably good news for the "death with dignity"' folks who proclaim the "right to die" as if it were constitutional.

No one has the "right" to die. If dying were a "right, " suicide would be an exercise of that "right" and would probably be legal.

When a doctor helps someone commit suicide, it is still suicide. Calling it "physician assisted" simply softens the rough edge of taking one's own life. Similarly, "death with dignity" is just a nicer way of saying, "Let me kill myself my way."

To end our life the way we wish is to ignore the fact that our life is a gift. Suicide is the ultimate act of ingratitude. Every life comes with a beginning and an end, known only to the one who gives the gift. As a Christian, I believe that God is the giver of life. He gave us life and only he can take it back. He holds the rights to our lives and deaths.

One can only hope that Dr. Kevorkian spent many quiet hours in his eight years in prison reflecting on the precious gift of his own life.

Jack Bray, Dunedin

A man of mercy 

"Dr. Death" released on parole after 8 years June 2, story

The media call him "Dr. Death, " but he should be called "Dr. Mercy." Dr. Jack Kevorkian has served his time and promised not to alleviate any more suffering. The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit called him a "murderer." The church should stay out of name calling - we all know why!

In today's world, "euthanasia" is a dirty word. Someday, perhaps Kevorkian will be seen as a man ahead of his time. He provided help to those who endured great pain and suffering under circumstances that made sustaining life unbearable. He left that decision to each individual who found peace. Kevorkian only provided the device.

James Caputo, Spring Hill

Don't side with terrorists 

To honor their fight June 2, World in a snap photo

Once again, you have chosen to display a picture of terrorists in a sympathetic way. Although you must be fair and balanced in your reporting, some things are black and white; sometimes things are right or wrong. It is wrong to call terrorists "militants." It is wrong to indicate via the headline that we should "honor their fight." It is wrong to show a photo like that to create sympathy for a group that wants to destroy freedom. It is wrong to give "equal time" to a group that vows to destroy our Western ways.

You have an obligation to be fair and moral because your newspaper influences many minds. I am extremely disappointed in this latest example of your frequent displays of sympathy toward terrorists.

Janice LeVine, Seminole

Call them murderers 

To honor their fight June 2, World in a snap photo

I would like to voice my objection to this photo and caption. The photo shows members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade firing their guns, and the caption reads: "To honor their fight."

How revolting that this newspaper chooses the word "honor" in connection with a terrorist organization whose only objective is to kill Israelis. The members of this group are murderers, plain and simple, and shame on you for depicting them as anything but.

Vivian M. Benci, Clearwater

Tell the truth 

To honor their fight June 2, World in a snap photo

What's next? A photo glorifying al-Qaida terrorists cheering for "death to the infidels"? I've talked to many people who have criticized your newspaper for biased reporting and photos that they say routinely characterize Palestinians and other Arabs as victims while portraying Israelis as warmongers. I've always thought those friends were overly sensitive. However, this photo of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade "militants" honoring their members who've been "killed" really takes the cake.

Al-Aqsa martyrs kill themselves and, if they're lucky, they succeed in their objective of taking out a handful of Israeli civilians with them. Words matter. If you're going to run photos like this, then tell it like it is: "Al-Aqsa terrorists fire their weapons to honor their members who killed themselves in suicide bombings targeting Israeli soldiers and civilians."

Robin Warren, Madeira Beach

Crist's visit was wise

Gov. Charlie Crist's visit to Israel has been criticized by some with their own agendas. The governor's visit was very much in our state's interest.

One of Florida's most serious problems has to do with water. Nowhere in the world has this problem been dealt with more successfully than in Israel. Israeli technology through the Jewish National Fund has made deserts bloom.

Israel is willing to share its technology with Florida. Israel has even aided the unappreciative Palestinians in this regard. Our governor has the foresight to understand the value of enlisting Israeli support.

Norman N. Gross, Ph.D., president, PRIMER (Promoting Responsibility In Middle East Reporting, Palm Harbor

Stolen loot 

Spain's claim to treasure

Spain really has a lot of nerve making any kind of claim to any salvage findings in any ocean. Think about it for a few seconds. If any treasure is found on any sunken Spanish ships, Spain probably had originally stolen it and never had any legal rights to it. If anyone has a claim to it, it would be the South American countries of Colombia, Peru or Venezuela. Naturally, none of these countries could prove its claim but, in all probability, that is where Spain originally stole the treasure.

Now, if Spain is really interested in righting old wrongs, the very least that it could do would be to empty its treasury and divide it among the countries from whence it was originally stolen.

David S. Swan Jr., Clearwater

[Last modified June 5, 2007, 22:45:03]