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Letters to the business editor: Congress must face reality
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The Business Forum on Nov. 10 by Frank Knapp Jr. ("Stop The Spin On Small Business") was the clearest and most authentic approach to the subject yet published. Let's hope the realistic Congress folk can see that the tax considerations for the over-$250,000 group do not minimize small business hiring or spending. It's time for ALL the elected representatives to face reality and put us back on track.
J. BRIAN WELLER
Oakmont
We are currently in the middle of the Medicare enrollment period, which runs through Dec. 7. During this time, seniors have the option to enroll in Medicare for the first time or to choose new plans without penalty. According to the article "Seniors Urged To Dump Low-Rated Medicare Plans," there are a handful of Medicare Advantage plans that have been rated "poor" or "below average" for at least the last three years.
As a student at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, we continually talk about quality vs. cost, which is also a main driver behind the Affordable Care Act.
While there are warning symbols next to lower-quality plans on the Medicare website, these are most likely easy to miss when seniors are choosing among myriad plans offered.
Officials say they are hesitant to cancel the plans so as to not disrupt coverage for seniors. In a country that is striving to improve the quality of health care and ensure that we get the right value for what we purchase, it seems backwards to allow these low-quality plans to stay on the market.
LESLIE BRADY
Shadyside
First Published November 17, 2012 12:00 am
