Rational reform

Sen. Pat Roberts is correct that one does not need to look far to find a glaring example of why health care decisions should be made by physicians and patients based on what is best for their patients.

However, the good senator does not need to waste his time searching so far afield as a British newspaper for examples. Perhaps he would care to research Smith County cancer death statistics where he would find a young mother who needed a bone marrow transplant. If I remember correctly, insurance would not pay for it, friends tried to appeal to Oprah, etc., to raise $250,000 in the attempt to save her life. Sadly enough, the money could not be raised and the patient died, leaving a husband and young children to mourn the loss.

So what is the solution? Wiser heads than mine must work it out. Doing nothing is not an option, Starting over? When? Try doing it in incremental steps? Please tell us what you suggest as a first step?

Perhaps those who are not part of the solution are part of the problem. Listening to the bored, routine "no" votes from our good Kansas senators indicates they have little interest in changing the status quo. While more locals will lose their health care coverage due to rising premiums, the legislators we elect will surely keep their health care benefits, enjoying the federal government subsidy provided by their employer, the taxpayer.

R.C. Rempe

Plainville