Letter to the Editor

Letter to the editor
Dear Editor,

I would love to see someone bring some sense to this [Tobacco Tax Dispute,
Capitol Weekly, Oct. 20]. The money should go to offset the cost that
smoking presents to the healthcare system and to help those who either A,
want to quit, so fund smoking cessation program supervised by physicians or
respiratory therapists (both would be optimal), or B, fund Pulmonary
Rehabilitation Programs for all, including the presently ineligible Mild
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients while there is still a
chance to see some disease reversal. Lastly, use the disease specific coding
that happens at every ER and hospital visit to fund the difference in the
cost of care for these folks, versus what the state and/or insurance
companies actually pay. Does this seem so crazy!?

Sincerely hoping for change,

Kevin D. Hamilton,
Community Medical Services,
Fresno

Department of Corrections
An Oct. 20 story in Capitol Weekly on legislative salaries reported that the
Senate, unlike the Assembly, has one job category for consultant. Actually,
the Senate has several consultant categories–including consultant, principal
consultant and assistant consultant.