Friday, March 27, 1998

Health 'nonsystem'

If you are one of the millions of Americans who are dissatisfied with America's health care "nonsystem," then I urge you to consider supporting U.S. Rep. (Dr.) Jim McDermott's universal not-for-profit (single payer) proposal, "The American Health Security Act," which is already in legislative form ready to be introduced and debated in Congress this year if the Republican-controlled Congress will permit this.

Following are this act's most important features:

(l) A patient has complete choice of doctors.

(2) The doctor bills the state for services rendered.

(3) The standard benefit package covers all inpatient and outpatient medical services without limits on duration or intensity, and it also provides coverage of long-term care, dental services, mental health services and prescription drugs.

(4) It is financed 86 percent by the federal government and l4 percent by the states that administer it.

(5) Everyone will contribute to it except the very poor. At the federal level employers will pay a payroll tax of 8.7 percent, and individuals will pay 2.2 percent of their taxable incomes; and a tobacco tax of $0.45 per pack of cigarettes is also imposed.

(6) The Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated this act will lead to annual deficit reductions of $l00 billion by the year 2004.

If you like McDermott's act, then you should let your feelings be known now to President Clinton, your senators and your representatives; and when you do, be sure to remind them that they already have excellent 72 percent taxpayer-subsidized health insurance.

MILTON BRAUN

Dallas

Via e-mail

Sorry Margie's gone

It's truly unfortunate that Margie Culbertson-McCaskey, Abilene's latest Clean and Proud coordinator, left her post recently. I communicated with her several times, and she seemed highly proactive and fired up to help make Abilene a clean and neat city.

It seems that her progressive approach to the job was just too much for the slow-lane bureaucrats at City Hall.

Margie, I told you not to let 'em get you down! During the short time you were in office, I (an many others) noticed a refreshing activity in cleaning up the garbage in and north of town. What now?

We all hope that Public Works Director Marva Pritchett will fill your post soon with an energetic and dedicated coordinator or at least continue the effort herself to make Abilene a clean home in which to live.

If not, as in the past, the beer cans, plastic bags and their careless masters will continue to rule.

ERNIE WIATREK

Abilene

Via e-mail

Harmonious event

For the 13th year, Abilene's Own Memory Men were out delivering "Singing Valentines" around Abilene, Dyess Air Force Base and Wiley Feb. 13-14. This year our quartets delivered 71 serenades to happy recipients.

The joy we singers found in each encounter was how totally involved everyone within sight and sound of the event became, whether children in a classroom or adults in a workplace. Everyone fell under the spell of those harmonious Valentines.

CHUCK WEETH

Abilene