Reader Responses

I was one of the lucky few ordinary citizens who got to see and talk to a member of the president’s cabinet in Marshall. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Mike Leavitt, made quick stopovers in Tyler and Marshall to oversee special needs services provided to Hurricane Gustav refugees.

I am grateful that Secretary Leavitt stopped here. Being pressed for time, I was unable to give him my view on one aspect of health care in this nation: I fully believe that health care can be top-notch and cost-effective at the same time. There is no need going to a “Canadian system” if we would more dutifully match needs with costs.

Instead of quibbling about overall plans, let’s just agree to one basic item. Let every American be granted one free physician’s visit during any six-month interval, with up to $100 worth of pharmaceutical prescriptions being covered. That single measure would not revamp the whole system, but I believe it would be such a motivating jump-start to our overall economy — not to mention peoples’ health in-general. Neglecting a medical problem often spawns bigger, more expensive problems. I have often neglected my own medical check-ups — much to my regret later on.

Long-term ailments and major treatments would still need other types of reform. But a twice-yearly free health exam should be a basic measure in the next presidential administration.

James Marples
Longview