TERRE HAUTE —
Time for health care to be more accessible
We live in a time where we have the medical technology and prescription drugs that allow a longer and better quality of life. It is so wrong for that to be available to only a certain few. Those being people who have insurance and can get medical assistance along with medications.
Many, like myself and my husband, do not have insurance and cannot afford to get it. We are not deadbeats; we are hard-working and try very hard to be good citizens. But, if either one of us were to become ill, we could not afford to seek medical advise, receive treatment or have the aid of prescriptions. So, what are we supposed to do? Are we simply to accept a lesser quality of life, pain-filled and possibly a death sentence? All because we do not have insurance!
Sarah Palin talks about “death squads” (I do not care for Ms. Palin), and that is what I feel like is looming over us without health Insurance. You have no idea how bad I feel, my body hurts, sometimes my pain is almost unbearable. The same for my husband. So, for the most part, we just suffer. That is so very, very wrong.
I am willing to bet if members of Congress were asked to forfeit their insurance coverage and be without medical care for themselves and their spouses, they absolutely would refuse.
It is time for all people to be able to have the same opportunity for better health. We are on this earth to help each other and life is far too short for it to be lived in pain and fear.
The insurance companies need to come forward, be accountable and stop the horrible treatment of those of us that have an existing condition.
I would much rather not have my discomfort, but I do, as do many, many other aging citizens. What is happening is wrong and I beg that it change. I do not understand why good health and well-being should only be available to those who can afford the high premiums or have the benefit of coverage through their company.
We are a struggling small business owner. Where is my right to the American Dream?
I would like to think I have some time left to contribute to this life. I would like to feel good while doing so.
— Mrs. Linda Thomas
Terre Haute
GOP doing nothing but resisting reforms
In recent days/weeks/a year, the health care debate has taken center stage. There isn’t any debate that the current system, that ranks 37th in the world, is inadequate, and for a large sector of society, nonexistent. The insurance industry are the only people benefiting from health care in its present form. Some reform proposals have been made, but there hasn’t been a final bill, so most Americans don’t know what reforms would take place.
Because there have been no specifics laid out, I have no opinion, for or against reform. I have Medicare, but I do most of my health care through the V.A. However, I’m fully aware that health care, or lack of it, is a matter of life and death for people, and the financial ruin that can come from a serious illness if you haven’t any insurance, and sometimes if you have insurance and your claim is denied, can be devastating.
Health care for a lot of people consists of going to the emergency room for a serious illness, and make no mistake, the taxpayers picks up the bill for most of these visits.
In an effort to fix health care, Obama called on health care professionals from various organizations to give positive input for a bill that would reach that goal. Most of those organizations responded with helpful ideas and proposals. The insurance industry and the GOP Congress were invited to submit positive proposals. They responded with lies, deceit, fear-mongering and robo-calls spreading propaganda.
The GOP, who are a totally owned subsidiary of the insurance industry, voted no on any type reform because the insurance industry pays them to do so and they don’t want Obama to get any type of a “victory” that might help him get re-elected.
In order to bypass the GOP “wall of no”, the Dems are using a procedure called “reconciliation” to pass reform. Reconciliation is a legal procedure to pass bills that relate to the budget as health care would. Since the 1980s, reconciliation has been used to pass Social Security, Medicare, and other programs. The GOP used it 16 times during the Bush dictatorship. Two of those times it was used to pass two tax cuts for the wealthy, but what position do they take on reconciliation for health care?
Their propaganda goes like this: Health care reform is “bad for America”. Reform will “bankrupt America”, reform will cause the “deficit to soar,” reform will “impact 1/6th our economy,” and the majority of Americans don’t want reform. Most Americans didn’t want the tax cuts that did the above and more, but the GOP didn’t give two hoots in hell what Americans wanted, they used your tax money to buy votes for the wealthy by passing the tax cuts.
One GOP two-faced hypocrite named Lamar Alexander, who voted for reconciliation four times, including the wealthy tax cuts, now claims that reconciliation will render the Senate null and void. How much more null and void can the Senate become when just one senator can vote no for any reason and through filibuster can kill a bill.
The bottom line here is if a reform on health care contained tax cuts for the wealthy , didn’t impose any restrictions on the insurance industry, the GOP would give its full support. They vote no on any and all bills because they want to hold America hostage and extort the Congress until they force the voters into submission and again put them in “charge” of the country.
— Ron Hastings
Clinton
Hope Center joins TH Regional family
We are pleased to announce that the Hope Center has joined the Terre Haute Regional Hospital family. This new venture will allow us to continue to provide the high level of services and care that you have come to expect from us over the past 17 years.
We will be transitioning our infusion services from the Hope Center to the new state-of-the-art Paul Siebenmorgen Cancer Center at Terre Haute Regional Hospital in the spring of 2010. This arrangement will bring comprehensive cancer services to the Wabash Valley. Regional Hospital will provide Infusion Services, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Clinical Research, all under one roof.
The Hope Center will continue to provide Medical Oncology and Hematology services as well as new-patient appointments and follow-up visits at our current location, 3702 S. Fourth St., Terre Haute, IN 47802. The same doctors, nurses and staff that you have come to know and trust will continue to be a part of your care. We will continue to admit patients and provide consultation services to all local hospitals.
We deeply appreciate the opportunity to participate in your care.
— Dr. Ashis Chakrabarti
— Dr. Chandra ReddyTerre Haute
Local rally targets Middle East wars
Terre Haute Stop War on Iraq and Afghanistan will have a demonstration on Saturday, March 20, at 10 a.m. in front of the Vigo County Courthouse in solidarity with a demonstration in Washington, D.C.
Last week a vote was taken on whether to end the Afghanistan War by year’s end and it failed. Please come out to show your displeasure with this vote.
— Cathy McGuire
Organizer for TH Stop War
on Iraq and Afghanistan
Terre Haute
A chance to help fight diabetes
I have lost several family members due to complications of diabetes. It’s a terrible disease and left undiagnosed can have dire consequences.
Here’s how you can help. Tuesday, March 23, is American Diabetes Association Alert Day. Help readers discover their risk for Type 2 diabetes and join the movement to stop this terrible disease.
Visit stopdiabetes.com or call 800-DIABETES.
— Mrs. Kim Anderson
Clinton
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