HEALTHCARE

HMSA BENEFICIARY OF OUR INSURANCE SYSTEM

Thank you for exposing the disgusting excesses "earned" by the top executives at Hawai'i Medical Service Association.

These executives have no incentive to lower premiums or increase payments for medical services.

Rather, their bonuses prove that they have been successful at taking more and more from working people and squeezing the medical profession to the breaking point.

I believe that the only way to provide quality healthcare to the residents of Hawai'i and the nation is to cut out the insurance companies.

HMSA must go. It is the only one benefitting from this system.

HMSA'S EXECUTIVE BONUSES TRULY AMAZING

I am just amazed by the Hawai'i Medical Service Association.

It is raising premiums again for small business. Yet it annually cuts patient services, physician reimbursement, amounts of medication you may have for your illness and bundles payments for services that are nationally recognized separately.

Physicians battle daily to get paid for services that have already been provided and spend hours talking to several different people getting several different answers to the same question.

To add insult to injury, we find out HMSA executives are raking in bonuses greater than $100,000.

I hope the community and our legislators are paying attention. Something has got to change. Physicians take care of our community; what exactly do HMSA executives do?

CONFIRMATION VOTE

SEN. CLAYTON HEE'S BEHAVIOR DISGRACEFUL

As a witness to the proceedings, I can say that coverage of the Glenn Kim judicial confirmation did not remotely convey the disgraceful behavior of Senate Judiciary Chairman Clayton Hee.

Hee made every attempt to delay, obfuscate and browbeat the nominee, the Senate and the public to get his way.

After an additional and unnecessary caucus of more than two hours, Hee gave a rambling and repetitive speech that the Senate rejected, 16-9.

Hee's bullying failed, and Hawai'i gained an exceptional individual in the Judiciary.

BIBLE KNOWLEDGE

EDUCATION IN RELIGION IS SO ESSENTIAL TODAY

I am saddened that in letters on March 20, Rob Steuk ("Separation of church, state very important") and Ken Berkun ("Bible is irrelevant in U.S. political rhetoric") misunderstand the history and character of our country.

There is no guarantee of a separation of church and state, just a guarantee to worship freely.

America is a country of Judeo-Christian foundations. Even the Supreme Court, the protector of our freedoms, starts every session with the evocation "May God protect this honorable court."

Furthermore, without a thorough understanding of the Bible, how does one interpret Martin Luther's Reformation, the Puritans coming to America, the phrase "all men are created equal," "In God We Trust" on our money, or the reference to America as the shining city on the hill?

I invite these men to attempt to understand the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. without some education in the Bible.

Basic religious education is even more essential today. Not just in the Bible, but in the Quran so as to understand the differences between pure Islam, practiced by millions peacefully, and radical militant Islam, which breeds terrorists.

Understanding religion is essential, as it increases understanding of our neighbors, our state, our country and our world.

BIBLE HAS INFLUENCED WESTERN CIVILIZATION

Thank you for printing the commentary, "Bible knowledge important for our civil life," by Stephen Prothero (March 16).

It is good to finally hear a calm voice advocating the education of our upcoming citizens on the contents of the Bible.

There has been a tremendous Judeo-Christian influence on Western civilization in general (its legal system, literature, politics and mores) and specifically on the founding of our own nation.

The horror of violating the so-called "separation of church and state" clause has so created a knee-jerk fear in everyone that we have opted to deny our own history.

WAR

NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO QUAGMIRE IN IRAQ

As the Iraq war enters a fifth year, the president will still not acknowledge a failed and bungled policy.

There is no military solution to this quagmire, and only when the Iraqis tire of killing each other will a political solution be possible.

Until that time, our troops should redeploy to safer confines away from the civil war between Iraqis.

A reduced presence in the country would reduce U.S. casualties.

STATEHOOD

LET'S SKIP CELEBRATION OF 50TH ANNIVERSARY

David Shapiro wonders what can be done about celebrating Statehood Day in August 2009 (Volcanic Ash, March 14).

Let's not have a celebration that will bring anger from some groups of people.

Why spend money on planning committees and festivities only to end up with riots?

Let's not waste money and energy on planning any state celebration.