Health care letters 8/27

Medicare patients have little choice now

I challenge Stuart Barton’s assertion that “a government-run plan would limit patient-doctor choice,” (“Will health care reform hurt American senior citizens?” Opinion, Aug. 18). Apparently, he is unaware that Medicare patient access to doctors is already very limited.

When my family doctor retired a few years ago, I visited 11 doctors in the Dunwoody area, and was told they weren’t accepting new Medicare patients.

When I offered to pay the difference between what Medicare would allow and the actual bill, I was told that it was illegal, or that it would result in more paperwork, so they weren’t interested.

I suggest Barton do some anonymous calling, say he is a Medicare patient, and see for himself.

Patricia S. Clauser, Dunwoody

Legislation is too big, 
too serious to rush

The AJC carried an article Aug. 20 by President Obama regarding the debate over health care reform in which he says, “This is a critical issue, and it deserves a serious debate” (“We must loosen insurance’s grip”).

I totally agree, Mr. President. Let’s have a serious debate led by individuals, rather than by drug companies, lobbyists and trial- lawyer groups.

Let’s not cram through legislation that exceeds 1,000 pages, which no single person can seriously digest, and expect it to be on your desk for signing this year.

Let’s stop calling people who may disagree with us Nazis, un-American, evil and fear-mongers.

Let’s also not forget that all legislation results in unintended consequences, which can be worse than the problem the legislation was designed to remedy.

Mike Norwood, Canton

Public option would give us more choice

In America, we have public schools and private schools, and if your children go to one or the other, nobody forces you to change.

Conservatives have spent the last 30 years telling us that private business does everything better than the public sector, so why are they so threatened now by a public option to health care?

As a consumer, I know when I’m being gouged, and we are all being gouged by the HMOs and the health care industry.

Why wouldn’t Americans want more choice and more competition, to help bring down the costs of health care?

George A. Klein, Atlanta

Legislators will hear us better if we don’t shout

I am a Republican, and support candidates from my party when I feel they are the right people for the job.

If I were registered to vote in Rep. David Scott’s district, I would vote for his opponent. That being said, I respect him as a person.

He is a Democrat, and will probably vote for an imperfect bill mandating government health care — unless we can change his mind.

If you are going to a town hall meeting, you should observe the following recommendations.

We are not part of a mob, as we have been portrayed by some in the media. Don’t act this way. You get more across to your House member by acting like gentlemen and ladies. We can get a lot more of our objections to this health care debacle heard if we don’t shout.

This health care bill is not a Democratic/Republican, or black/white issue. It affects us all. Voice your objections in a reasonable way. Speak softly, but carry a big vote, to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt.

Dr. J.T. Cooper, Marietta

Which insurer makes these crowds so content?

Clearly, the people protesting at health care town-hall meetings are entirely satisfied with their current health insurance. I wish they would tell the rest of us who their insurer is.

Barbara Rochelle, Atlanta