Posted: Thursday, May 22, 2008 12:00 am
County should offer better health plan
An uplifting message greeted me this morning as I opened my e mail:
"Starting August 1, Benton County will be offering a new option to the medical plan in the form of a consumer-driven, high-deductible health plan with a health saving account."
Alas, it did not take me more than a minute to dissect out what it is all about:
1. Consumer-driven health care: Let's face it, health care has always been consumer-driven, after looking at our own pocket books before deciding to see a provider or a pharmacist.
This new motto of "consumer-driven choice" is a malignant disguise for a new scheme of "insurance restricted options."
2. High-deductible health plan: This says it all. The co-pay and deductibles are set up by insurance companies to discourage patients from getting the care that may be needed, so high that they are actually financial barriers to care, even if the person "has health insurance coverage."
3. Health saving accounts: Another tax shelter scheme for the rich who already have maxed out on their IRA and needs tax protection elsewhere. Middle class Americans have little savings of their own, often living from paycheck to paycheck.
The bottom line: "Consumer-driven HDHP" is nothing more than a new scheme for profit-driven health insurance companies that cherry pick the currently healthy, low utilizers of health care and set up high financial barriers for access to care when they need them.
Is it the best our county can offer?
Chinh Le, M.D., Corvallis
Transit route change eliminates bus stops
The notice of proposed transit route revisions that appeared in Tuesday's Gazette-Times is very misleading.
It states that Route 3 will increase frequency from one hour to one-half hour.
What it does not state is that the current Route 3 will no longer exist.
The new Route 3 will eliminate the following:
All stops on West Hills Road, which includes the OSU Foundation and the Congregational Church, all stops on 53rd between West Hills Road and Philomath Boulevard, most of Country Club Drive and all of 35th Street.
It will no longer serve Stonybrook, Sunset Park, the Community Gardens, Starker Arts Park, Old Mill School, Knollbrook Church, Adams School and the 509J District Offices.
If this proposed change concerns you, please make your opinions known.
Send comments by e-mail to cts@ci.corvallis.or.us no later than Friday.
Joy Jensen, Corvallis
Don't judge Clinton by one life mistake
In response to Barbara Crawford's castigation of Corvallis school district for allowing Bill Clinton to speak on its property ("School district was wrong to host Clinton's speech," Letters, May 16), I take it that, to avoid any double standard, she would also have banned Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Dwight Eisenhower, Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gaugin, Charlie Chaplin and John F. Kennedy.
These men were also involved in "sexual improprieties" while married.
The point here is that one cannot judge public figures on the basis of but one facet of their lives.
Secondly, Ms. Crawford needs to get her facts straight. Bill Clinton was not "dethroned," as she put it. He was impeached, but not convicted, nor was he removed from office.
Lastly, prominent women who have contributed much to society have also been involved in "sexual improprieties," so I wonder if they too should be banned from speaking on school property, Ms. Crawford?
Ben LeRoux, Corvallis
America's oil policy has been big failure
Most Americans know the parable of the 10 virgins who, with their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom coming to be married.
Five of the virgins took extra oil with them and five didn't. Those that had no spare oil were unable to honor the groom with lighted lamps, and could not attend the wedding. They are known as the foolish virgins.
Well, fellow Americans, we have joined the foolish virgins with regard to our oil supply.
We have an inadequate supply, high demand and skyrocketing fuel costs.
What got us into this predicament?
For the last 30-40 years, we have reduced our domestic oil production. Demand increased. This forced us to buy more oil from other countries.
How are we dealing with the issue?
We have allowed our government and special interests to prevent any new domestic oil production, although sources are available.
We have tried to reduce demand by developing vehicles with improved mileage. We had some success. Also, we have tried to find alternative fuels.
We were duped into believing that a cost-effective alternative that could be mass-produced was readily available. This was not the case.
Ethanol is not only less efficient than gasoline or diesel but also contributes to higher prices and shortages of food resources.
You would think it would have been wise to have developed our resources to provide enough oil to tide us over while we reduced demand and found a cost-effective alternative.
Hello, fellow foolish citizens.
Chuck Lane
Blodgett
Avoid suffering; get shingles vaccine
Unless you are a person who enjoys suffering, I hope you read the article in the May 16 Gazette-Times "Health officials push shingles vaccine" and then talk to your doctor about getting the shot.
I contracted shingles on April 30 and am still not recovered.
The intense pain is the worst I've ever endured (childbirth, cancer, etc.).
Since there is now help available, take advantage of it.
I wish the shot had been available earlier.
Helen Hansen, Corvallis