1988 THE YEAR IN REVIEW : Health Care:

O ur readers wrote letters throughout 1988 expressing their viewpoints on a variety of issues. Here are condensed versions of some of those letters. We appreciate their taking the time to share their viewpoints and look forward to hearing from you in 1989. Every month, hundreds of good and substantial residents of Orange County become victims of catastrophic disease or trauma--events that they could not foresee and for which they are unable to budget.

They become what the elected officials of this county have chosen to label Medically Indigent Adults.

Who are these unfortunates who failed to prepare for a rainy day with prudent insurance or savings? They are, but for the grace of God, you or I, our wives and children.

They are people who work but have no health or accident insurance. They are working people whose group insurance is tied to their jobs but who happen to be out of work when medical disaster strikes. They are illegal immigrants who get sick or hurt just as you and I do.

The medically indigent are arriving at local hospitals in far greater numbers than ever before. The simple truth is that care programs for the poor are facing collapse. Such a collapse would affect us all.

Residents must find some way to let their elected representatives know that they do care about the way we treat our less fortunate neighbors. We do not want a reduction in the emergency medical services that any of us may someday need.

ARTHUR D. SILK, MD

Garden Grove