LETTERS

Re “Obama shifts to offense,” Sept. 3, and “Patient approach,” Editorial, Sept. 2

President Obama, I am glad you are going to speak to the nation to explain precisely and clearly what the healthcare plan is all about.

The Republicans are using scare tactics, hoping to defeat any reform plan.

President Obama, please let the people afraid of change know that our nation will only benefit from universal healthcare. We no longer will be refused by insurance agencies because of preexisting conditions; we no longer will have to file for bankruptcy because of exorbitant medical costs.

President Obama, this is the only chance you have to give the American people a healthier life.

Andre Landzaat

Studio City

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Question: With our major social programs -- Social Security and Medicare -- in serious financial straits, why is Congress even considering a third program?

Answer: Because they get reelected not by fixing the problems they’ve already caused but by offering new “free” programs.

Robert W. Lichtsinn

Fountain Valley

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I too (as a Democrat) want to see healthcare reform, and I’m also concerned about the runaway costs we are experiencing with the current healthcare system.

In fact, our individual healthcare coverage has doubled in the last year to $2,100 per month (that does not include an additional $439 per month for my 22-year-old son). While shopping for better rates, I have been told repeatedly that because I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I had better stay with the carrier I have. So after having worked very hard to achieve success in our lives, we find ourselves struggling to keep up with ever-increasing healthcare costs.

Not exactly the American dream I had in mind.

Carrol McCombs

Big Bear City

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As the well-known saying goes: “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth can get its pants on.”

In today’s electronic world, lies travel at dizzying speed. Too many people now believe deliberate healthcare lies about “death panels” or a complete government takeover of the healthcare system.

The last time America made a big decision based on deliberate lies, we got a disastrous war in Iraq. Will history repeat itself?

Marc Merson

Sherman Oaks

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Why not let people without health insurance join Medicare at a monthly rate equal to the average premium charged by insurance companies for persons of comparable age? The advantages:

Medicare is widely accepted, and people generally know how it works.

An infrastructure to administer Medicare exists.

Healthcare providers know how to deal with Medicare, so they would incur no additional costs to deal with a new public entity. Indeed, their total costs should come down because they will have fewer cases of uninsured patients and uncompensated services.

Because the premiums would be keyed to average insurance industry premiums for a comparable cohort, adjusted annually, private insurers could not argue that it puts them at a competitive disadvantage.

Those who prefer their current plans could keep them. Those now without insurance would have a viable option: Medicare. Employers could pay for their workers to join the Medicare system, or stay with their current arrangements.

With these advantages, I wonder why the Medicare option isn’t part of the debate on healthcare reform.

Edward J. Costello

Santa Monica

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People are concerned that leading Democratic politicians don’t know what is in the various healthcare bills. I don’t think they care.

Any bill that passes, be it good, bad or indifferent, will result in a massive increase in the federal bureaucracy and a giant step toward socialism.

Graham Marrs

Oceanside

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To all the people who say they do not want any government interference in our medical or health system (including drugs and medicines), I say, be honest about your convictions and turn in your Medicare cards.

Also, Social Security should be limited to exactly the amount of money that you have paid into the system and not one penny more.

Then you have the right to complain about government assistance.

Dave Weiner

Los Angeles

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America has public and private schools, public and private libraries, public and private transportation, and even mail service.

What is motivating some groups of people to deny the neediest among us access to affordable private and/or public healthcare?

The health of our nation is the backbone of our future and of our democracy.

Forget shortsighted and insane, it is simply un-American to deny healthcare to all. It’s our kids’ futures.

What are these people thinking?

Bev Morse

Manhattan Beach