VOICE OF THE PEOPLE | Aug. 6, 2009

The Herald

Don't miss chance to reform health care

I write you to lend my support to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reform and attempt to fix our broken health care system.

There is no better time to fix this broken system than now. Insurance premiums are going up every year, and many have had to do without it,which, in the long run, costs all of us a lot of money in taxes.

There is nothing that would make me happier as a physician trained in internal medicine and oncology than the day patients come to the office and don't have to be bogged down with so many insurance-mandated prerequisites. I am looking forward to the day we will stop having to prescribe what insurance wants us to write rather than what we think is best for the patient.

We get an average of 15 to 20 prior authorization requests per day from insurance carriers for prescribed medical treatment/management. This, in turn, increases delay and, at the same time, increases the cost of care, as additional staff become neccessary.

I can go on and on. And contrary to the misinformation being peddled by opponents of this reform legislation by its opponents, a similar but not the same system in the UK provides more access to quality health care to a majority of the poeple.

But I am counting on Congress to help President Obama help the nation by passing the health care reform bill soon.

Bamidele Ekunsanmi M.D. FACP

Rock Hill

Editor's note: The author is president/medical director of Premier Clinics in Rock Hill,Chester and York.

Progressive income tax benefits many

A recent letter by Charles Blackwell of York stated that �our nation's downhill slide to socialism started with the passing of the graduated income tax law,� and he included some quote by Karl Marx. I do not know very much about Karl Marx, but Jesus said, �For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.� Seems to me the Lord is in favor of a progressive income tax.

Gerald Allen

Rock Hill

Fond memories of Greyhound

I am a senior citizen and have a place in my heart for Greyhound (or Trailways) buses. Here's why: My first trip to Rock Hill, as a young Army wife, was made back in 1963 as my husband was preparing to go overseas. Then, a year later, we traveled with Greyhound again as we brought our newborn baby to Rock Hill to see relatives. We always had smooth trips.

Barbara Puckett

Rock Hill

Politicians aren't just celebrities

The past few elections have shown us a more ridiculous side of politics. T-shirts demeaning or praising presidents displayed such quotes as �Obama is my Homeboy.� I've witnessed politically motivated vandalism, such as the smashing of car windows, perhaps in an effort to try and make a statement? Such merchandise and acts only serve to promote an immature attitude towards politics, and frankly, whether or not these people helped put the president I voted for into office, I'd prefer someone with such principles didn't have any sway in the system.

It may be borderline fascism to say so, but it seems almost necessary to require some sort of test on political knowledge (or perhaps an IQ test) before allowing a person to vote, let alone a check against criminal history. This, of course, is just as unlikely as the regulated sale of political merchandise. However, there is definitely something to be said for informing yourself before deciding on a political stance that fits your personal morals and values.

We shouldn't rely on the media or even our family members to tell us how to think when we are perfectly capable of self-informing and deciding ourselves. Often, messages from political figures are so muddled by newspapers, radio or television that you need to look to several sources to get real factual information.

This is part of being active in politics and key to preventing our political system from turning into a pure popularity race. Being in favor of a candidate shouldn't make you cool; the well thought-out reasons for your support should. It's time we started treating our presidents like the leaders of the free world they are instead of the celebrities we want them to be. Obama isn't my homeboy; he's my president.

Kennon Smith

Rock Hill