Health Reform

Real health care reform should question the desirability of associating one’s job with access to medical services (“The Headacheof Health Reform,” editorial, Aug. 18).

This system that apparently is going to remain in place is bad for businesses and bad for employees. Businesses should concentrate on their original missions-to provide products and services, not health care at costs that have longed ceased to be “fringe.” Empolyees should be able to change jobs freely. Private insurance companies should not be expected to hold on to costly investments-chronically and seriously ill individuals. Such considerations can adversely affect our ability to compete under existing and future economic conditions.

Basic health care, like basic education, should not be influenced by profit-and-loss considerations. It should be administered by a nonprofit organization supported by our taxes, eliminating any premium payments and indenpendent of employment. And, like education, we should be able to purchase additional services on our own.

HANNA HILL Tustin