Raising Medicare Premiums for Wealthy

The Times approves the Senate measure to increase the age of eligibility for Medicare and make affluent elderly pay more for Medicare coverage (editorial, June 29). Having no clue how to reform our expensive and inefficient health care system, The Times calls it “realistic” to start chiseling away at health care coverage for seniors.

This is only an early scrimmage in the game of political football over Medicare. But in the end, we’ll all be losers if the debate focuses on political fixes and narrow-visioned tinkering that will leave more people without health coverage. President Clinton is right to call for a commission to find comprehensive solutions to the problems of Medicare.

SIDNEY I. SIEGEL MD

Covina

* At the same time the Senate in its infinite wisdom concluded that the way to cure Medicare’s financial problems was to increase fees for the “affluent,” my provider decided to increase the cost of treatment for chronic and extended treatment by requiring a new authorization every 30 days.

It’s nice to know that high blood pressure can now be cured in 30 days, but I wonder what would happen if the administrator did not believe my cast should be removed in six weeks.

I guess it is better to provide busywork for a nonproducer than have Congress involved in trying to make sure that we actually get something for our money.

ROBERT W. HOMAN

Manhattan Beach

* Aren’t the people who are complaining about having Medicare means-tested from the generation who told me the U.S. doesn’t owe me anything and I should just be happy to live in this great country?

SCOTT C. BALDRY

La Crescenta

* Let’s see if I’ve got this right. Our leaders say Medicare is going broke and that huge deficit must be dealt with; therefore, the budget must be balanced. So the way to accomplish this is to cut taxes, mostly for the rich, and all will be well. And I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you.

BERNARD L. LEE

Laguna Hills

* Have our illustrious congressional millionaire members considered means-testing their salaries? Will they adopt a progressive salary redistribution plan indexed to their “affluent” levels? Will they means-test the cost of their generous health care plan vis-a-vis individual members’ net worth?

Reality is a mote in the eye of the congressional--and all other-- politicians!

RAYMOND DEWEES JR.

Mission Viejo