Readers share thoughts on health care, Medicare, poverty
Transitioning care
As responsible parents, we assume the responsibility of keeping track of our children’s appointments, medications and medical conditions.
Although this is absolutely necessary in the early stages of life, particularly for a medically complex child, it is important to allow our adolescents and teenagers the autonomy to take control of their medical care.
Studies of pediatric patients have shown that the most effective predictor of success in future medical compliance is the ability of that child to name current medications. Moreover, as a teenager prepares to move from a pediatric provider to an adult provider, he will need to be able to discuss his medical, family, surgical, medication and other histories.
I commend children’s hospitals that are improving transition care. Beginning in adolescence, children, their parents and primary care providers watch videos detailing the appropriate stages of transition of care. This is an important step in child and eventually adult care and should be implemented nationwide.
Additionally, parents should go the extra step in assuring that children are practicing a stepwise approach in the home setting.
As a physician, I recommend having the health-care transition conversation with your adolescent’s physician, if you haven’t already.
Simran Arora, M.D.
Kansas City
Medicare formula
This month, Congress has the chance to solve a problem that’s plagued our nation’s seniors and physicians for more than a decade: the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate, an arcane formula that sets Medicare rates without regard to quality or efficiency.
Congress has continually failed to provide a solution to this incredibly flawed formula. Unless Congress finds a permanent solution by March 31, patient access to high-quality care will be in peril.
We are closer than ever to a permanent solution.
Health-care providers across the country have endorsed a plan Congress developed last year to replace this formula with one that benefits patients. The plan would move Medicare to a system that encourages high-quality, coordinated and safer care for our nation’s seniors.
As a trustee of the American Osteopathic Association, I encourage Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to ensure that Congress repeals the sustainable growth rate and rids the Medicare program of this dreadful policy once and for all.
If you agree that Medicare reform is an important issue affecting our seniors and physicians, I urge you to call congressman Cleaver at 816-842-4545. If you’d like to learn more about Medicare reform, visit everypatientcounts.org.
Joseph M. Yasso Jr., D.O.
Board of Trustees
American Osteopathic
Association
Lee’s Summit
Health-care reform
The Affordable Care Act health-care system is so complicated that it requires professional help. The question is when will the frustration with what has been created get to a point where the American public demands simplification.
Then we would finally have what the president originally said he wanted, which was a single-payer system with the federal government in total control of health care.
One major question is will we explode the size of the Internal Revenue Service or will there be a separate agency the size of the IRS or larger to administer that health-care system.
Jerry Jackson
Kansas City
Combating poverty
Congress is considering reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
The bill represents the best opportunity to close the achievement gap and address poverty.
To improve the performance of our lowest-performing students, we need to address poverty.
A child who is hungry can’t focus on history or math. The best teachers cannot eliminate the pain or alleviate the hunger. But there is a solution.
Organizations such as Communities in Schools of Mid-America at Northeast Kansas are deploying site coordinators, who harness community resources to effectively blunt the effect of poverty on students.
We serve 13,080 students in 13 schools across the area, including Shawnee Mission and Kansas City. The research is clear that our model of integrated student supports works.
We’re privileged to work with great school leaders who appreciate our work and would like to see us do more.
Washington shouldn’t dictate what local leaders must do, but an effective education bill should incentivize what they can do to make the biggest difference.
Sen. Pat Roberts is on the Senate Education Committee and plays a critical role in this bill. Please go to www.helpstudentsnow.org and take action.
Tell Sen. Roberts that we can’t afford to leave poor students behind.
Brandy Tofel
Affiliate Director
Communities in Schools
of Mid-America
Lawrence
Lessons for Kansas
I just returned from a recent trip to Nevada, where the Republican governor (Brian Sandoval) is urging restructuring of taxes to members of the Senate Revenue and Assembly Taxation committees for a stable tax structure and commitment to education.
The governor asked for a business license fee to replace a flat annual fee currently paid by businesses large and small with a tiered rate, depending on industry category and gross revenue.
All of which was supported by a coalition of business, education and civic groups.
The Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance reported that the state’s drastically underfunded education system kept 35 percent of companies from moving to the Silver State last year because of the poor education system.
Maybe it’s not too late this year for Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback to finally support education in his state or for everyone else to make the wise choice to move their family and business to Nevada.
Mark Ciurej
Kansas City
Gaining intelligence
I was amazed that our government would be so foolish as to release information on the CIA’s brutal tactics.
No other country would do that. Terrorists will use this as reason to kill more Americans.
If our government officials want to stop such tactics, they should just do it. But to spend tens of millions of dollars to chastise our intelligence techniques was no less wrong.
There was no benefit to be gained by the United States in releasing such a report. It will only cause the deaths of more innocent American citizens.
I personally have no problem with our government using whatever tactics needed to prevent more attacks on U.S. citizens.
These people had no problem killing thousands of Americans on 9/11. I fully support whatever tactics the CIA uses to prevent more loss of American lives.
How can the Senate be certain no U.S. lives have been saved by these tactics?
In the future, it would be nice if our own government did not aid terrorists.
If you are elected to serve the American people, do so.
Steve Alexander
Lee’s Summit
Open-carry guns
I continue to read about moves by the Kansas Legislature to allow conceal and carry without a permit. I think these efforts are misguided.
If the Legislature follows through, I plan to avoid spending my money in Kansas.
A loss of sales taxes might be the only thing that would bring the Legislature and Gov. Sam Brownback to their senses.
Larry Blick
Independence
Manners of youth
I wanted to extend a well-deserved compliment to the father of the young man who insisted on holding the door open for my husband and me as we left Yogurtini on a recent weekend.
In these times when some boys are viewed as disrespectful and negative, I feel it is very important to acknowledge the ones who are truly fine young men.
How proud his father must be of him.
You could just tell by his politeness and speech that he is on the right track to becoming successful in his life.
I certainly hope I run into him again soon.
Patricia Mayer
Lee’s Summit
This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on health care, Medicare, poverty."