Medical costs top inflation rate

Wednesday, January 10, 2007
To the editor:How long ago was it our governor and legislature were trumpeting their passage of tort reform, which was supposed to limit workers' compensation and malpractice settlements, which, in turn, would lower insurance premiums and allow medical providers to lower their charges?

The government says the cost of living has increased 3.3 percent in the last year, but medical costs have risen enough to warrant double-digit increases in insurance premiums.

One has to wonder how many families there are that have one member working just for insurance and how many have been forced onto Medicaid because they cannot make enough to have insurance and eat.

We all know getting the government, both state and national, involved would open a can of worms, but how long can our leaders allow this to keep going on?

Just look at the mess Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Cape Girardeau County are in with insurance, and they don't even have a good policy for their employees.

BOB JOHNSON, Fruitland