Opinion - Seattle Post Intelligencer - April 17, 2007

HEALTH CARE

A big thank you to guest columnist and state insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler (Wednesday's "OK, everyone in the risk pool") for stating what so many small businesses and organizations have been lobbying and testifying about throughout the legislative session.

The private health insurance market is failing. Kreidler is right on the solution: universal coverage.

We need a broad common risk pool to guarantee secure access to quality, affordable health care. Only then can we stop profit-driven private insurers from cherry-picking the healthy and wealthy and ensure everyone has good health care.

With the state's Blue Ribbon Commission, I finally thought there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I commend the governor on forming this board to begin to solve this rising crisis in our state.

But, as a small business owner without good health insurance, I was saddened that with the opportunity to make large strides so little was accomplished this year.

The failure to create a broad health care risk pool means yet another year will pass that our family and employees will go without affordable, comprehensive coverage.

The light at the end of the tunnel is dimmer. Someone needs to fix the bulb.

— Michelle Moulton, Sammamish

 

Letters to the Editor - Seattle Times Newspaper - Monday, May 1, 2006

Inflicting Help

Thank you for your continued diligence in exposing a silent epidemic in this state: medical negligence and lack of patient protection from the Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC). The patients interviewed should feel courageous and proud for speaking out! As a patient injured in 2003, I know the physical and psychological pain of being injured once by a health professional and second by the agency in place to protect me — MQAC. The scars can last a lifetime. One voice can make a difference!

Seattle Times, keep up the professional journalism and caring about this sensitive issue that is plaguing our state.

— Michelle Moulton, Sammamish