18
Oct
2005
As a teacher, then an administrator, in the Davenport schools for 24 years, I was very concerned about the health of my students, as I saw many of them not receiving the preventive care that is so important for learning to occur. Now retired, I am ever more concerned as I read about the lack of health insurance that many Americans experience.
According to a survey published in 2004 by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, as many as 82 million people under the age of 65 spent some part of 2003 without coverage. This includes over 8 million children. It is clear to me that our health-care system needs fixing, and doctors are increasingly disenchanted with our system, also. According to Nicholas Kristof in his October 2, 2005, column in the New York Times, 13,000 doctors have joined Physicians for a National Health Program, which lobbies for a single-payer, government-financed health program. A plan that is worth considering has been introduced to Congress by Representative John Conyers as the U.S. National Health Insurance Act.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Irwin Redlener, president of the Children's Health Fund and associate dean of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, said, "This is one of those fleeting opportunities where a catastrophe creates an opportunity to rebuild something better than before." So, let's heed the health-care needs of all Americans now!
Connie Sauer-Adams
Bettendorf
Correction
In last week's City Shorts column, the artist of a sculpture being donated to the Davenport Public Library was misidentified. Turning Point was created by Mark Baker of Cedar Rapids. The Reader regrets the error.
According to a survey published in 2004 by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, as many as 82 million people under the age of 65 spent some part of 2003 without coverage. This includes over 8 million children. It is clear to me that our health-care system needs fixing, and doctors are increasingly disenchanted with our system, also. According to Nicholas Kristof in his October 2, 2005, column in the New York Times, 13,000 doctors have joined Physicians for a National Health Program, which lobbies for a single-payer, government-financed health program. A plan that is worth considering has been introduced to Congress by Representative John Conyers as the U.S. National Health Insurance Act.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Irwin Redlener, president of the Children's Health Fund and associate dean of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, said, "This is one of those fleeting opportunities where a catastrophe creates an opportunity to rebuild something better than before." So, let's heed the health-care needs of all Americans now!
Connie Sauer-Adams
Bettendorf
Correction
In last week's City Shorts column, the artist of a sculpture being donated to the Davenport Public Library was misidentified. Turning Point was created by Mark Baker of Cedar Rapids. The Reader regrets the error.
