Health plan pluses prevail

The S-R recently printed opposing views regarding the Affordable Care Act. Among the many positives of this act is the fact that it will reduce the national deficit by $203 billion and extend the solvency of Medicare by 12 years. Why are Republicans opposed to saving Medicare and saving money?

On the negative side, a writer again tries to scare old people with a phony specter of “death panels.” I will pay my doctor for his time so that I can make clear how I don’t want to die. Why don’t Republicans want to do the same?

Why don’t Republicans want people to pay for their health care? I thought they stood for personal responsibility. Do you all use the hospital emergency room when you are sick? Do you realize someone pays for your irresponsibility?

I heard a tea party person on a radio talk show yesterday. When asked what she specifically doesn’t like about the health care bill, all she could say was it had too many pages in it. Tea partiers, please enlighten me.

Medicare recipients, get ready to give back your “doughnut hole” perks. The Republicans voted to repeal Affordable Health Care for everyone.

Janet Callen

Coeur d’Alene

My wife and I, among others, strongly disagree with the cutting of certain Department of Social and Health Services programs done by the governor. There are thousands of people that are on DSHS and need the programs, including myself.

I need foot care and dental care, both of which the governor cut. I received a letter from DSHS the other day, stating that the governor was thinking about reinstating certain programs for the seniors and disabled, both that I qualify for. If the governor does not reinstate these programs, then come election time she might find herself outside looking in.

I have already contacted my congressperson, representative and the state Legislature about this, so I hope that there will be a positive answer.

Douglas Carpenter

Spokane