MAILBAG: Paper lowered its standards

Questions that you should have: Should I sell stock I own in private health-care corporations? Do I trust the government to do any better than my insurance carrier? Why did the president want to rush this thing through before anyone had a chance to read it? Can medical care actually be any better?

Congress is in recess for August and has not yet voted on any specifics. Look at House Resolution 3200 and communicate with your congressman and both senators as to your feelings. It is time that Congress actually hears from the people before making decisions that so radically change what the majority has basically been satisfied with.

MEL WOLF

Burbank

Health-care reform is long overdue

Your Mailbag on Saturday carried four letters about health-care reform. The three letters against were the same generalist arguments: Government can’t do anything right; it’s too expensive; we can’t afford change; and it’s all the illegal immigrants’ fault. Only the personal letter relating the hardship Jennifer Rabuchin’s family has faced rang true (“Medicaid is example of good health care,” Aug. 1).

Why do people enjoy bashing government when the clear problem is the insurance industry? Insurance has gotten in between people and their doctors and is causing the crisis. If letting private insurance set all the rules for health care were a good idea, then why are 50 million people without health care? Why are people dying from being denied coverage and rejected for “preexisting conditions?” That’s great if you like your current insurance, and under the new plan you will be able to keep it, but we are all one illness or job loss away from catastrophe under the current system.

I agree with Rep. Adam Schiff that we give the public option a chance and work to solve the health-care crisis created by the insurance industry. The only ones with a stake in eliminating the public option are the insurers because they are terrified to let people see health care that doesn’t involve their 20% profit margin. That money buys a lot of fear-based advertising and a lot of executives and stacks of paperwork for doctors, but it doesn’t improve your health.

Insurance companies couldn’t care less about Rabuchin’s family, so let’s try health-care reform that will help them, and, potentially, you.

KAREN BRODERICK

Burbank

Not thrilled about health-care reform