Need to engage political arena

Ron Sim's emphasis on individual responsibility in this matter is overlooking some major factors that affect public health [Take responsibility for your health-care costs, Opinion, Oct. 7].

The reason for this is that research into health inequalities indicates that there are systematic health differences between societal groups. The findings have uncovered many social factors associated with health outcomes.

One of these is that policy does impact public health. We cannot simply engage individuals, we must engage the political arena as well. Making the right policy decisions can improve public health and keep people out of the emergency room.

Daniel Tuttle, Seattle

Health-care insurance premiums should go down

On Oct. 7, The Seattle Times had two health-care articles with significant points.

The first, Insurers praised parts of health law but gave mostly to Republicans, pointed out that insurance company contributions greatly favor Republicans in their contributions because among other things, they dislike the Obamacare requirement that they spend 80 to 85 percent of their premium dollars on medical care for policyholders [News, Oct. 7].

The second article, an opinion piece by Ron Sims, reported on the New Hampshire Healthcost website that compares what hospitals, surgery centers, physicians and other health-care professionals receive for their services [Take responsibility for your health-care costs, Opinion, Oct. 7]. Such information can help New Hampshire people cut their health-care costs, but the amount of money that CEOs, other administrative personnel and health-care company shareholders receive was not separately mentioned.

Can this give us a clue as to why health-care insurance premiums are not coming down as we hoped? It seems to me that in addition to direct health-care providers, the health-care administrative personnel and insurance shareholders need to ask themselves: Is my involvement in the industry really intended to improve peoples' health? Or is it to increase my financial income? If it is both, which has priority? And, what income would be fair, or enough under public or divine scrutiny?

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Health-care-reform debate raises question of responsibility