From: "WILL JOHNSTON" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Copies to: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: The Government should pay for it??? Date sent: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 00:51:17 -0400 > That is the climate today. Everybody [a gross exaggeration] is trying > to get what they want through insider trading (a president's son did > it and got away with it). Here in Salisbury we used to make Wayne > Pumps - the things you use to put gas in your car. Thanks to Dick and > his boys at Halliburton, the plant here has closed and the machinery > has been sold or junked. Now the pumps can be made in Mexico but they > are not selling since the quality control has been so lax. Cheap pump > + cheap price will sell until customers find out what they bought. Some interesting coincidences. I was born and raised in Maryland (Baltimore) and lived there until 1961 (when I was graduated from medical school). I still have family (a sister and others) there. I also looked at, and almost accepted a job as a neurosurgeon in Salisbury in 1988 when Dr. Spence (the one who was there) was looking for a partner for his very active practice at Peninsula General Hospital. I turned down the job eventually for a number of reasons, but I was initially attracted at the prospect of being between the Chesapeake and the Atlantic and returning to my "roots". I am not sorry, however. I am familiar with Maryland Blue Cross/Blue Shield ("Care First"). I handle the affairs of my 92-year-old mother-in-law (mother of my first, deceased wife) who lives in assisted living in Baltimore, and I have seen the rates for her Medicare Supplement go up to the point that it is now about $200 per month. As one who will turn 65 this coming January, I have determined that a good Blue Shield supplement for me out here will be half that. As to Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan, much of it was good (and I generally supported it); but there was still the "managed competition" part of the scheme which would have led to the same situation in which we are in currently. A good single-payer system is, IMO, a good idea, but the medical decisions have to be controlled by medical professionals, not by bureaurocrats and MBA types. American medicine is deteriorating rapidly. Best, Bob ********************************************** Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C. 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 Berkeley, California 94704-2636 Telephone: 510-849-2555 FAX: 510-849-2557 WWW: http://www.rafink.com/ mailto:[log in to unmask] "Ex Tristitia Virtus" ********************************************* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn