WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JANUARY 11, 2018 13
‘NEWSPEAK,’ THE
TRUMP WAY
Another back to the future direction
by the ever backward directing Trump.
This time it takes its cue from George
Orwell’s 1949 anti-utopian novel, “1984.”
In Orwellian lingo, George Orwell
referred to it as “Newspeak.” It was
the “Big Brother” Oceana language
designed to diminish the range of
thought by diminishing words. The
goal is, by forbidding certain words
one can limit negative expression
relative to specifi c subjects.
Taking this cue, the linguistically
challenged Trump and his administration
has kicked off the process by limiting
the words allowed to be used by
the nation’s top public health agency.
In the ongoing dumbing of America
process they have thus far forbidden
seven words to be used. They are alphabetically:
“diversity, entitlement,
evidence-based, fetus, science-based,
transgender and vulnerable.”
We know that the least educated
Americans relate to Trump and are his
base, so this further stupidifi cation of
their country should not only welcome
but reinforce their support as well.
Nicholas Zizelis, Bayside
CITY & STATE DID
GREAT DURING
BLIZZARD
The Blizzard of 2018 brought to
Queens heavy snow, cold and winds,
but we came out of it well thanks to
Governor Cuomo, who declared a
state of emergency, and Mayor de Blasio,
who has kept us informed what is
being done in the blizzard.
I would also like to acknowledge our
police, fi refi ghters, EMS and our fi rst
responders who helped during this
emergency and neighbor who helped
neighbor, and the Sanitation workers
who were hard at work plowing our
streets and trying to keep us safe.
These hard working men and women
who are working very hard and working
long hours to remove all this snow and truly
deserve to be praise for all that they do.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
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Prevention: The key to aff ordable and sustainable health care
BY THOMAS CONCERT,
DNP(C), MS, FNP-BC
I am a board-certified family
nurse practitioner practicing
nursing for 13 years. In all those
years, I have seen one particular situation
occur again and again. Most
people only utilize the health care
system once they have developed
an illness. This has led to skyrocketing
health care costs in the United
States.
The U.S. spends more money
per capita on health care than any
other country. According to the 2015
National Health Disparities Report,
almost 45 percent of Americans
have at least one health condition
that is considered chronic, and
chronic health conditions were
responsible for 75 percent of health
care spending, roughly $2.4 trillion.
The old adage “An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure”
contains quite a bit of truth. Many
chronic conditions such as high
blood pressure, obesity and diabetes
can be prevented by increasing
access to primary care before people
get sick and actually require
services.
Once the damage is done, these
diseases are very costly to treat and
can result in a host of other complications.
This only compounds the
costs of care.
I am asking congressional policymakers
reading this to include a
provision for all insurance providers
to cover primary care visits at a rate of
100 percent in any repeal or redesign
of the Aff ordable Care Act.
According to the Kaiser Foundation
2016 Employer Health Benefi ts Survey,
67 percent of covered workers have to
pay a copayment for a primary care
visit, with the average health insurance
covered worker spending $1,221
in out-of-pocket expenses in 2016.
For most Americans, choosing between
payment for food, medication
and primary health care visits is
a real burden, one that should not
have to be entertained. Promoting
positive changes to the Aff ordable
Care Act can assist with elimination
of copayments for primary care visits,
thereby preventing patients from
developing a more serious illness.
Insurance companies, the primary
opposing stakeholder, might oppose
this proposal because having to
cover 100 percent of a primary care
visit would cost more money. This is
not necessarily true.
Let’s evaluate people with high
blood pressure as an example. According
to the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality, the U.S.
spent about $50.3 billion treating
patients with high blood pressure in
2014. $15.8 billion of that amount was
spent on inpatient hospitalization and
$3.1 billion dollars on emergency room
visits.
By preventing these visits from
occurring, health insurance companies
could incur a potential savings
of $18.9 billion that could be used to
cover the cost of primary care visits.
The potential savings from one health
condition almost covers the total cost
of all primary care visits for patients
with high blood pressure that same
year, which was $26.9 billion.
With the potential repeal of the Affordable
Care Act on the horizon and
many people at risk of losing insurance
coverage, the need for preventive
care is more important than ever. The
population is aging.
According to the Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services, in 2015
we spent $9,990 per capita on health
care. That number is projected to grow
to $16,032 by 2025. These rising costs
are unsustainable. If we do not do
something to get the cost of care under
control, our country’s fi nancial health
will become as much a concern as our
physical health.
There are steps the public can take
today. Contact your congressional
representatives. Ask them to support
100 percent primary care visit coverage
to facilitate better access to health
care services. This small investment
of time today is an investment in your
own health and the future of the health
care system in the United States.
A LOOK BACK
This May 1934 photo shows
Cooper Avenue (then called
Central Avenue) looking west
at the corner of 79th Street on
the Glendale/Middle Village. The
image was taken shortly before
the city began constructing
the Cooper Avenue underpass,
replacing an at-grade railroad
crossing a few hundred feet
down the road. Send us your
historic photos of Queens by
email to editorial@qns.com
(subject: A Look Back) or mail
printed pictures to A Look Back,
℅ Schneps Communications,
38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY
11361. All mailed pictures will be
carefully returned to you.
LETTERS OP-ED
AND COMMENTS
