I read “Spinal Column” in the February 2010 Community News and am trying to decide why, in the process of promoting chiropractic care, Lamar feels the need to take a cheap shot at Medicare.

Based on his picture, apparently he is too young to be enrolled in Medicare so I will assume he doesn’t know that much about it. I am under Medicare and based on my experience, Americans are well served.

I see the same doctors that I have always seen. I don’t have to worry about being denied coverage for a pre-existing condition. I don’t have to worry about losing coverage because of employment status and I have chiropractic coverage.

Medicare has far lower administrative costs than private insurance companies because it doesn’t pay high-salaried executives, doesn’t have high overhead, doesn’t have to earn a profit for shareholders at the expense of policyholders and doesn’t have to pay lobbyists to bribe members of Congress. As a Medicare recipient I pay a premium of $96 per month, which will probably increase and should increase.

I currently see a chiropractor and he is helping me. I also believe that we should be providing universal health care in this country. Your attempt to pander to the public anxiety of losing health care is unworthy of a health professional.

We have a public school system that is paid for by tax dollars and covers everyone regardless of employment status or special needs. Health care for everyone is no less important.

James Grayson

Kingston