Marcelas Owen’s story shows need for preventive care
The untold piece to the story about Marcelas Owen, who lost his mother, is the cost of emergency medical care versus preventive care [“Boy takes personal story to D.C.,” NWTuesday, March 9]. This case illustrates the fact that regardless of income, everyone in this country has access to medical care — emergency care that is.
However, as we all know, an ounce of prevention is often worth pounds of cure. The preventive care in this case may have saved the life of Marcelas’ mother, as well as money. I have no idea how much Owens’ visits to the emergency room or the hospital stays cost, but I do know that these costs are absorbed by hospitals as overhead that are then passed along to others. Emergency-room costs are more expensive than preventive care and this adds to the overall cost of health care for everyone.
There are approximately 46 million without health care in this country and one way or another we all will pay for their health care. It would be much more compassionate and much less costly if we did it as preventive care for everyone before emergency-room care is needed
— Don Van Valkenburg, Woodinville
Owen’s problems are his own to deal with
While the story of Marcelas Owens’ mother is a tragedy, it still does not warrant burdening the people of this country with footing the astronomical bill being pawned by President Barack Obama. I cannot imagine what this family has had to endure, but why should the onus be on everyone else to pay for this — or situations like this?
And how shameless and tactless of the Democrats — especially Patty Murray — to use this kid as a prop for their agenda. It is simply disgusting.
If the shoe were on the other foot, there is no way I would ever ask for special treatment. My problems are my problems, not the American public’s. How refreshing it would be if our leaders saw it that way, but that is clearly hoping for too much. Owens’ problems are not mine to bear — nor anyone else’s.
— Taiji Tamura, Shoreline
Suspend federal officials’ health care
I would like to weigh in on the health-care debate. I am an ex-logger who attended some college and at one time was insurance-licensed for life insurance. This, and never being able to afford health care for my four kids as I raised them, gives me an inside look at today’s topic.
One of my classes in college, which I had to work like a dog to pass, was medical coding and billing. I learned that entire businesses were in place to attempt to collect on the insurance payments due to the doctors. The privacy requirements in place do nothing for privacy and small wonder the doctors miss stuff. Every insurance carrier has different company methods and schedules and do not want to change a thing — who would? The insurance companies have us against the ropes. They are adding to the cost of your health care by as much as double.
I would suggest that we suspend all heath care for elected federal officials until this mess is solved. That’s right, senators, representatives, the president, vice president, etc., would suddenly have to pay their family’s own medical bills out of pocket or shop around for some good coverage — our insurance companies and political contributors will be glad to help out.
I believe President Obama and Vice President Biden would support such a move because it would put the issue in perspective.
— David Beers, Hoodsport