
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 5, 1994                   TAG: 9404050127
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH SYSTEM IS NEEDED

SOME would have us believe the United States has the finest health-care system in the world, but let's examine facts. Of the 24 countries in the industrialized world, we rank 21st in infant mortality, 16th in female life-expectancy and 17th in male life-expectancy. Americans spend $1,000 a year more on health care than Canadians, who live an average of two years longer. In this country, skyrocketing health-care costs have been growing at twice the rate of inflation. A catastrophic illness can wipe out one's life savings; nursing-home care can cost as much as $4,000 a month.

It's estimated there are 39 million uninsured Americans today. Losing one's job can mean losing one's health plan. If you're sick, your insurance company can cancel your policy. According to Consumer Reports, in 1992 Americans spent $817 billion on a bloated medical bureaucracy and unproductive paper shuffling. We pay $135 billion in unnecessary overhead, profits and administrative costs for more than 1,500 insurance companies. In other words, our present health-care system could be characterized as ultra-expensive and ineffective in meeting citizens' needs.

In contrast, according to the Congressional Budget Office, a single-payer Canadian-style health-care system would save $175 billion over the next 10 years, while immediately providing medical care for everyone, with the doctor or hospital of choice.

The American College of Surgeons, a traditionally conservative group, favors single-payer health care as the best way to solve the nation's health crisis, and 70 percent of Americans support this plan, which cuts enough waste to pay additional costs of long-term care. The American Health Security Act, a single-payer plan, has been co-sponsored by nearly 100 members of Congress.

Why hasn't the single-payer plan been getting more media attention? For one thing, powerful insurance companies are running a multimillion-dollar campaign to stop real health-care reform. We need a drastic change - a system in which every resident has access to comprehensive health care from a doctor, clinic or hospital of his or her choice.

JOSEPH R. and LUCY S. STILL

BEDFORD

Where Fast stands, vis-a-vis Boucher

I MET Steve Fast, who's a conservative candidate for the 9th District congressional seat, holds a doctorate degree from Virginia Tech and is currently unopposed for the Republican nomination to run against incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher this fall.

Fast sees the necessity of a strong home that has the right to keep and bear arms to protect it from being invaded and, accordingly, a strong military prepared to defend its nation's shores.

While Fast holds a pro-life view, Boucher voted against the Hyde Amendment, which prevents our tax dollars from funding abortion. Boucher's a strong supporter of the Freedom of Choice Act that would mandate abortion on demand in all 50 states, even prohibiting parental notification.

Boucher voted for the largest tax increase in American history, the Clinton budget, and cast the deciding vote for the increased gasoline tax. Fast proposes a $1,000 tax deduction for families. He favors the Jefferson health-care plan that allows a tax-free medical-savings account similar to an IRA. This plan would reduce enough paper work to cut 30 percent of health-care costs.

Fast also wants small businesses and private-property rights protected from government interference. He says our crime problem isn't caused by gun ownership or the Constitution, but by the criminal-justice system that doesn't lock up or punish offenders.

MARILYN T. CANODE

CATAWBA

Unbelievable verdict for a killer

I COULDN'T believe the sentence the jury handed down in the William Layne case (March 9 news article by staff writer Mike Hudson, ``Layne gets life term in killing'').

Where did they get these people who served on the jury? If ever a case merited the death penalty, this was it! And with all the women on the jury, one would think they would have been more sympathetic to all the evidence and issues presented.

Congratulations, jury! Maybe Layne will be out in a few years and do (God forbid) to one of your daughters or a relative the same thing he did to a little girl. You just helped a cold-blooded killer escape his just reward. Unbelievable!

KATHRYN ALLEN

GALAX

Thank lucky stars for dedicated police

IT WAS with great sadness that I read the March 23 news article about Officer B.C. Booth being dragged while the man who dragged him was trying to escape arrest (``Man who hurt officer gets prison'' by staff writer Laurence Hammack). It brought back memories of my brother, Thomas E. Kittinger, who was dragged to his death in 1961. We've never gotten over his death and the fact that the man who dragged him got such a light sentence. This young man who dragged the officer got an even lighter one and will probably be on the streets very soon to do such a trick again.

I'm thankful Officer Booth is alive and didn't suffer any more hurt than he did. We should all thank our lucky stars that we have such dedicated men and women on our police force. Their job isn't easy, and they get very little thanks for doing it.

JOAN K. SHANNON

ROANOKE

by CNB