Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Mendocino Voice. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com.
Dear Editor:
This is a message of concern from your health professionals.
We are doctors, nurses, and other health professionals alerting you that your health is in danger. The Administration has taken an axe to most of the agencies and programs that protect medical care and public health in our country. It has slashed funding for health care, public health protections, and research. It is abandoning support for veterans, children, families, and the elderly.
Huge cuts to federal health insurance programs are on their way. This includes Medicaid (Medi-Cal) which provides care for over half our children and nursing home patients in Mendocino County. Many Americans will go without care and most of the clinics and hospitals across the country will suffer financially, especially in rural areas such as ours. Some will close.
The Administration has canceled programs on vaccines and other vital programs. It is sowing doubt in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines that protect our entire population.
We agree that our healthcare system has many problems. We believe that careful redesign done thoughtfully is what is needed to improve our healthcare.
As health professionals on the front lines, we have dedicated our careers to protecting the health of our patients and improving health in our communities. We cannot alone fill the void that is being created in your care from these reckless and deep cuts. We are certain that this will cost lives.
We want you to know that we are united in challenging these federal actions as a threat to the health of our community. These represent our personal views, not our employers.
John Glyer, MD
Bruce Andich, MD
Margaret Arner, MD
Ace Barash, MD
Holly Bennett, RN
Zoe Berna, MD
Pamelyn Close, MD, MPH
Phil Conwell, CRNA
Andrew Coren, MD
John Cottle, DO
Michael D’Arata, FNP
Pandora Denny, RN
Beverly Draudt, FNP
Larry Falkner , MD
S. Margo Frank, LCSW
Robin Goldner, MCW, LCSW
Barbara Rose Gregory, MPH, MSW
Jillian Hacker, RN
Russ Hardy, MD
Miriam Ida Harris, MD
Emily Hauser, PA
Larry Heiss, MD
Dawn Hofberg, PA
F. Ben Housel, MD
Ann Jamgochian, MSN, FNP
K. E. Nadine Johns, RN
Susan Karp, RN
Elizabeth Khan, MD
Susan Klarquist, MSN, FNP
Susan Klimist-Zingo, PAC
Judy Lemke, RN, BSN, FNP
Monte Lieberfarb, MD
Sharon Lieser, RPT
Judy Luria, RN
Norma Marks, MD
Mills Matheson, MD
Nancy C. Nanna, MSW, LCSW
Nika Patterson, MSN, FNP
Claudia Petruncio, DO
Jon Portnoff, MD
Linda Presley, RN
Anne Retallick, FNP
Janet Rosen, RN, BSN, PHN
Jo-ann Rosen, LMFT
Kim Silva, FNP, PMHNP
Val Takes, RN, BSN, FNP
Jillian Tatum, MD
Elizabeth Whipkey Olson, DO
Lucy Zephyrs-Perkins, MD
Thank you.
Please send your letter to President trump
My sorry Healthcare being in trouble right about the time the pandemic started. All of the sudden we can get appointments anymore with our primary caregiversion. It’s still hard and sometimes I have to make appointments 3 to 6 months ahead of time just so I can see my doctor. Sometimes of course they call and cancel my appointment and change me to see somebody else which is not what I want. The doctors seem to be okay but they are overwhelmed with a bunch of people here in the county that don’t belong here. I hate to say it but there’s a lot of people that are not American citizens. The healthcare is meant specifically for people that are legally here. This has been a problem ever since the influx of illegals into our state. I don’t have a problem with anyone but I sure do get sick and tired of it affecting my Healthcare food stamps housing and everything else because they’re given things and we are not asked if we want to support them yet of course we end up having to an hour Healthcare System goes down and our housing goes down and our food stamps go down and everything goes down and being on a fixed income sure as heck doesn’t help. If you want to do something for the hospitals and for the people then you know what to do but you have a tendency to see too many illegals. The news here seems to be very biased and as usual it only gets one side of the story. I wish you learn how to get both sides of a story like you used to. It’s just sad
Anyone who isn’t distressed isn’t paying attention. This will NOT just affect low-income people – it will affect every single person who seeks health care, which eventually is everyone. And even if it did only affect Medicaid people, we should care about that too. Everyone deserves care.