Thank you, Scott Schmeltzer, for your article on “words.” I also feel that our president needs to watch his words better. He is not clearly explaining the health care questions so I can understand them. Yes, the 1,000 pages. We the people should be debating the health care as we are the ones who will be living with it. Do I understand the senators and representatives will not have to change their health care plan? 

Still, we need to know about ours. We have the most wonderful health care in the world here in Minnesota, and I have heard that Mayo Clinic docs do not want national health care. No. 1 they would lose the personal touch and doctor contact that makes our health care so special. You are a number on the board of who will be seen next by the doctor not busy at that moment. My doctor would lose his art of medicine. Its his intuition to know what your symptoms really are as he has treated you and you are like family. To be a doctor is not to have a computer and type in your symptoms, get your diagnosis and then the computor will give the doctor what his cost-effective treatment should be. 

Now who decides what is cost-effective? Would seniors be deemed to old to tolerate some procedures? I have heard some medical students would leave medical school (not wanting to go through the grueling  eight to 10 years of school) if they have to practice computer medicine. This would leave a shortage of doctors to treat the sick. This would make medicine just another job where you punch the time clock.

Now who would go into research to study new treatments? You may want to talk with your doctor the next time you go to visit him and ask him what he thinks about this new health care. I would really value his opinion. Please let’s debate before we vote this through, so be sure to also let our Washington folks know your feelings.

 
Kari Bach

Albert Lea