Readers Write: Health care, freedom to read

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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I’ve always been proud to live in a rural community, where people work hard and help their neighbors. But when it comes to health care, I’ve seen firsthand how broken the system is for rural families like mine. A number of years ago, I spent nearly 200 days in the hospital and had eight surgeries. We came terrifyingly close to bankruptcy trying to cover the costs. Eventually, I had no choice but to leave our community and take a job in the Twin Cities just to get health insurance that would cover what we needed. Being forced to leave home and family just to afford basic health care coverage shouldn’t happen — not to me, not to anyone.

Rural folks are tough, but we’re being stretched too thin. Hospitals are closing, doctors are in short supply and care is becoming farther and farther away. Many people I know skip appointments or delay treatment because it’s just too expensive or takes too much time to travel. That puts lives at risk. We need to turn this around. Rural hospitals need support to stay open, and we need to bring more health care providers to small towns like ours. We also need to expand telehealth options and make sure every rural family has affordable insurance so no one has to make the hard choices my family had to. No one should have to leave their community just to access the care they need. Our leaders must make rural health care a priority.

AJ Peters, Browerville, Minn.

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As Minnesota’s state unit on aging, the Minnesota Board on Aging writes to you today to let Minnesotans on Medicare know about a critical federal benefit that is scheduled to end Sept. 30 — telehealth services. Loss of telehealth services will negatively affect thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are older Minnesotans, who rely on this service to access medical care.

Telehealth is especially helpful to rural Minnesotans who, without access to this benefit, would often be required to travel great distances. Of course, this important benefit is also used by our urban beneficiaries, as it increases access to medical providers and medical care. The ending of federally covered telehealth services is not only potentially detrimental to the health of people on Medicare, it also may reduce their independence.

We ask that people contact Minnesota’s congressional delegation to advocate for the continuation of this very important federal Medicare benefit. If Congress does not act before Sept. 30, this benefit will end. The resulting negative health consequences for people could ultimately increase health care costs across Medicare and prompt beneficiaries to forgo necessary medical care until it becomes urgent.

We hope you find this information helpful and appreciate any actions you can take to advocate for this critical Medicare benefit to continue.

Maureen Schneider, Willmar, Minn.

The writer is chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging.

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I want to thank Gary Hays for writing and the Minnesota Star Tribune for publishing his commentary on prostate cancer diagnosis (“Is the now-standard approach to prostate cancer too lax? In my case it was,” Strib Voices, March 24). I’m in my early 70s and thanks to the four or five primary care physicians I’ve had since entering my 50s, I’ve been given PSA tests annually. I remember my shock when reading the news that a task force had recommended elimination of PSA tests from annual examinations. By that time, several of my friends and/or coworkers had positive PSA test results that were later confirmed to be cancer. Thankfully, these men received early treatment and are living today.

At my last physical in February, my primary care physician again prescribed a PSA test. This time it showed an increase in the antigen level. That led to an MRI, which then resulted in a biopsy that confirmed that I have prostate cancer. I will be conferring with an oncologist in the near future to determine the appropriate treatment plan.

I urge every man over the age of 50 or so to insist on the inclusion of a PSA test in annual physical or wellness examinations. I also thank each of my aforementioned primary care physicians for continuing to prescribe the test, despite the illogical recommendation against it. I’m confident that my oncologist and I will reach a satisfactory treatment plan, for which I will be truly grateful.

Mark Wolters, Woodbury

During the early 1960s the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Henry Miller’s novel, “Tropic of Cancer,” could not continue to be banned in the United States. As a junior at Alexander Ramsey High School (now known as Roseville Area High School), I bought a copy and took it to school to read during the free hour at school we had each day at that time. A teacher saw what I was reading and was so upset that he took me to the assistant principal’s office, where the assistant principal called my mother to let her know her son was reading a “terrible, pornographic book.”

My mother, bless her soul, told the assistant principal, “My son is allowed to read anything he wants. That’s how his intelligence grows. Give him back the book and, if it bothers you that he’s reading it, I’ll tell him to not bring it to school but to read it at home.” That “permission” from my mother opened the door for me to complete freedom of the press and whatever other readings I wanted to undertake. It’s made a huge difference throughout the rest of my life and for that I am most grateful. (“Students protest bans on books,” March 25.)

Doug Berdie, Minneapolis

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As if he hasn’t already done enough damage with his illegal federal agency cuts, President Donald Trump is now focused on tearing down our libraries. By defunding and destroying the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) he will be negatively impacting citizens across the country who rely on libraries for unfettered access to the world’s knowledge.

It is clear that Trump has no clue as to the value libraries bring to their communities: children’s programming, book and history discussion groups, computer assistance, tutoring, social services assistance, programs for homeschoolers, summer activities for kids, access to vast collections of print and digital media, quiet spaces for study and contemplation as well as the services of knowledgeable librarians who can guide patrons to appropriate sources of information.

According to the American Library Association, IMLS receives only 0.003% of the federal budget — that’s 75 cents per capita — to assist libraries. Librarians rely on that money to continue updating their collections and promoting community-based programming. That’s a bargain Trump should, but can’t, appreciate.

I urge everyone to protest the gutting of IMLS. It is a fight worth waging!

Katherine Jursik, Plymouth

The writer is a retired librarian.

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Libraries and museums are now facing federal funding cuts. This year I turned 78 years old. I work full-time as a counselor and the library is my lifeline. As a child, living in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho, I did not have books. One day a bookmobile stopped in front of our farm in the valley of Mission Creek. As I walked up those steps, my life was going to change forever! As I entered the world of books, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I had free access to the world.

This feeling has never left me. I visit the Wentworth Library at least three times a week in pure gratitude to read. I also was an English as a second language teacher to adult refugees. I said to my students, “If you cannot get to school, go to the library to read, learn and ask questions.”

I am beside myself — how would I live without the interlibrary loans of books? I am grieving so; my library is my lifeline. Other important programs are Ebooks Minnesota, Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library, eLibrary Minnesota and Minitex delivery. What about poor states? How would these citizens continue their education?

Jeanette Fordyce, West St. Paul