Letters: Digging deeper into Obamacare

Re “Why men should pay for coverage of maternity care,” Column, Nov. 6

Michael Hiltzik gets it right in explaining why men pay for maternity coverage and women pay for men to have prostate cancer screening and treatment. The point is to make the coverage universal.

Hiltzik also debunks so much media misinformation about those Obamacare horror stories and the lack of responsible research. I applaud him for digging into the real facts behind the Affordable Care Act and specifically Covered California.

My wife and I have researched coverage options for our 23-year-old son and have found that we are very well served here on the West Coast. Thanks to Hiltzik for clearing up some misconceptions.

Robert McMahon

San Diego

In a media environment dominated by misinformation or willful ignorance, Hiltzik’s column laying out the true costs behind the Obamacare debate was remarkably clear.

Hiltzik belongs either on the front page of The Times or on a podium in Washington. He follows the long-forgotten maxim of Joe Friday in “Dragnet,” who said, “Just the facts, ma’am.”

Eric Alter

Woodland Hills

Hiltzik attempts to debunk a woman who has received a lot of media attention because she blamed the loss of her current catastrophic coverage plan on Obamacare.

There appears to be no disagreement that she had a plan that was acceptable to her — in benefits and cost — and it was clear that she wanted to stay with her current doctors and hospitals.

Hiltzik shows little concern for her preferences. He insists that her plan is “nonconforming” by definition and is therefore inferior to Obamacare.

He concedes the woman may not be able to keep her current doctors, but that apparently doesn’t matter much to him.

If the insurance exchanges created by Obamacare are such a good deal, then why do many people have to be forced onto them?

Max C. Bosetti

Temecula

Hiltzik shows how mainstream television news programs have failed the public. His column proves it is no longer beneficial to watch the news.

It takes a real effort these days to find news sources that do anything more than regurgitate talking points and copy other news channels. In the case of Westchester real estate agent Deborah Cavallaro’s story on CNBC, it was a lost opportunity to educate viewers who may or may not have also seen the same wrongheaded narrative on Fox News.

Thanks to Hiltzik for all his columns.

Robin Zur Schmiede

Laguna Beach

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