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October 24, 2009

Readers' forum: Oct. 25, 2009

Health care industry is thirsty for reform



We all get a little thirsty from time to time. Fortunately, in this country we have access to a clean, safe supply of drinking water. So why, don’t we all have another human necessity, basic health care? Could it be because the metaphoric water in the well of our vast health care system is tainted by greed?

It seems the health care industry has adopted the hamsters exercise wheel as it’s business model and subsequently ends up chasing its own tail.

In order to provide the best care possible for its patients, a hospital or clinic wants to attract the doctors available. So, they procure the best, newest, most technologically-advanced equipment in the field and, sure enough, the best doctors are eager to use it. But then the new equipment must be paid for and it is expensive. Soon, economic pressures lead to the new equipment being utilized to the utmost for every conceivable test and procedure often with casual regard for balancing benefit to the patient with financial gain for the industry.

Then, a strange thing happens. A new, better, more technologically-advanced piece of equipment becomes available and, once again, all the best doctors are eager to use it. In the name of progress, the hamster continues chasing its tail.

This cycle continues, (along with rising wages and salaries of health care workers) with seemingly little regard for the cost to patients, little regard for affordability and little regard for sustainability.

The problem with this business model is that patient care becomes wildly expensive, so much so that few individuals are financially able to self-fund its potential benefits and even when pooling their resources, (insurance) are unable to avail themselves of its promise. Furthermore, health care being what it is, those who do not, (or cannot), so avail themselves may do so under penalty of, ultimately death. Of course, that’s a great bargaining chip for the health care provider.

For some, an old country doctor traveling by horseback carrying a black satchel filled with antiquated instruments, one with an 1850s education and a frontier mentality, might be better than what they have now which is no health care at all.

Let’s face it. In a capitalistic society, the goal of the game is to gain control over every last penny that was ever minted. Right now, the health care industry is ahead of that game.

Yet the reality of our situation is that there are human needs beyond health care and separate from it. We also need food, shelter, clothing, education for our children, a winning Cubs franchise, and yes, clean drinking water. So, we cannot afford to give certain elements in our health care industry everything they want and especially what they most want, which is every last penny that ever existed. Some tough choices will have to be made.

We wouldn’t design a system for supplying our citizens with safe drinking water so that the water, no matter how pure and refreshing was available to only a fraction of the population, would we? So why do we do it with health care?

For sure, devising a more just and reasonable system for the allocation of health care services will be a balancing act. Wouldn’t we be better off as a nation to suffer a few relatively inconsequential impurities or flecks of grit in our water and to have it available to all than to continue having the absolutely purest water by making it available to only a select few while the remainder suffer for lack of it?

Whether our need derives from too much exertion under a hot summer sun or from eating too many salty snack foods or from simply living for too long without having had an adequate drink, we all get parched and a little thirsty from time to time.

— Clay Wilkinson

Terre Haute



Stimulus efforts can hardly be called a success



Since it has been close to invisible news from the major media, let’s check in on the “success” claimed by Obama/Biden and their “must have now” stimulus/porkulus bill.

According to Recovery.gov — the U.S. government’s official Web site — $62.5 billion is gone for “tax benefits,” $47 billion has been wasted on “contracts, grants and loans,” and $63.7 billion has been squandered on “entitlements.”

This rush legislation that had to be approved so fast it was not even read by its signees has generated a whopping 30,383 government contract jobs. Even if you just use the $47 billion wasted on those and not the other Democrat give aways, it comes up to $1.5 million per job. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just choose 30,000 Democrat contributors and give them the money.

The agencies who have spent the most so far read like a donkey vote supply chain: No. 1 health and human services — overwhelming majority to welfare recipients having zero effect on job numbers; No. 2 labor department — majority to unemployment benefits furthering dependence on the government teat, but doing nothing to secure a job for those who would rather work than pull a hugely diminished check; No. 3 Department of education — payback for teachers union support, zero assistance in the supposed goal of this money — prevent unemployment from reaching 8.5 percent (we are at 10 now).

The list goes on and on all with the same result, political allies of the Democrats were rewarded with a goody bag while the American public was handed a rotten bill of goods. They lied then about it’s purpose and expected effects and continue to lie about it’s success. The deficit has gone from $500 billion to $1.75 trillion in 9 months and 7 million jobs have been lost this year.

Biden’s comment on the stimulus: “in my wildest dreams, I never thought it would work this well.” And we are supposed to trust these jokers with health care? I don’t think so.

— Michael C Sherrill

Marshall, Ill.



Calling Terre Haute? Nobody’s answering



I was contacted recently by a colleague who wanted to schedule a conference in Terre Haute for next spring. Nothing big, but 175 to 200 people for two nights would definitely help stimulate our economy. I directed my colleague to the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau, confident they could help.

Several days later my colleague called me back to ask for help again. So I called the Convention and Visitors Bureau to find that the office was currently closed. I could dial “0” and leave a message in the “general delivery” mailbox. I did so, only to be routed back to the original greeting. Next I dialed extension 11 for the executive director, only to discover that it is an invalid extension, I then dialed extension 12 for the assistant executive director, invalid as well. Finally extension 14 for the office manager and, you guessed it, invalid extension.

I’m dedicated to helping bring this conference to Terre Haute, so I’ll keep calling and eventually I will find someone there and maybe bring some business to town. Maybe then the Convention and Visitors Bureau can hire someone to correctly set up their voice mail.

Terre Haute, a level above.

— Jody Grieb

Terre Haute



Home discipline can help jail overcrowding



I heard on TV about the overcrowding of the jails. No wonder the jails are so overcrowded, people commit crimes all the time. I feel sorry for the policeman and I don’t see how they keep up with all of the things that go on in this town.

To me why don’t people get a job and do the right things. Also it starts in the home to be taught discipline.

— Martha A. Silverman

Terre Haute



Foulkes exhibits common sense in his column



Another great column by Arthur Foulkes, “Soda Pop Taxes and the Growth of the ‘Nanny State’,” published in your paper. It’s nice to see that your newspaper has a least one columnist with some common sense.

Keep up the good work Arthur.

— Richard Hoffman

Terre Haute

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