Letters to the Editor | April 10, 2023

Medical debt is the most common form of debt in the United States, plaguing more than 100 million people. Other industrialized nations do not bear the load of medical debt. Only Americans will likely ever require a GoFundMe for a community member stricken with an exorbitant hospital bill. More than half of all American adults report accumulating medical debt in the last five years. Women are more likely than men to take on medical debt. Almost 70% of Black adults and 65% of Hispanic adults report having medical debt in the last five years, compared with 54% of white adults. Millions of indebted Americans report cutting spending on food and other basic needs, draining their savings, and losing their homes because of medical debt. As an emergency physician, I strongly believe that working Pennsylvanians shouldn’t have to choose between necessities and receiving medical care. My colleagues and I have introduced legislation to establish the Pennsylvania Medical Debt Relief Program, which would help alleviate this burden on hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians and their families.

State Reps. Donna Bullock, Nick Pisciottano, Tarik Khan, and Bridget Kosierowski have all signed on as prime cosponsors of House Bill 78, along with nearly 40 colleagues. Our proposed program is modeled on those that have succeeded at the local level in several U.S. cities. By investing $15 million in our state budget, we could clear up to $1.5 billion in medical debt. I urge you to write to your elected officials and ask them to support the creation of the Pennsylvania Medical Debt Relief Program. Together, we can help Pennsylvanians being crushed by the colossal weight of debt incurred through the broken American health-care system.

Arvind Venkat, state representative, 30th Legislative District

How many times can U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas break the rules, nearly break the rules, stretch the definition of rule-breaking, or give the appearance of breaking the rules before he is removed? How many years will it take to remove him? How many life-altering decisions will he preside over before he is removed? What is the penalty beyond simple removal for breaking the rules of the most powerful court in the world? Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Barry Beck, Turnersville

A few months after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Chief Justice John Roberts, while speaking at a judicial conference in Colorado, expressed disappointment that he felt the credibility of the court was being questioned by the American people. He seemed to think this was related to the decisions the court had handed down in critical cases. Roberts had this to say: “Yes, all of our opinions are open to criticism. But simply because people disagree with an opinion is not a basis for criticizing the legitimacy of the court.” Roberts seems to have overlooked another possibility for the court’s apparent lack of credibility: On his far right sits Justice Clarence Thomas. It has recently come to light that for several years, Thomas and his wife, Ginni, a well-known Republican activist and election denier, accepted lavish vacations worth thousands of dollars, which were paid for by Harlan Crow, a billionaire Texas businessman and major Republican donor. For reasons unknown, Thomas failed to detail any of these trips on his annual financial disclosure forms as required by law. While there is yet no proof that these trips had any influence on decisions made by Thomas, the fact that they were not disclosed does not exactly speak volumes about his integrity, or the integrity of the court that somehow was not aware this was happening. Or maybe it does speak volumes.

John Willemin, Jenkintown

I recently listened to comments from a New Jersey public college president at a city council hearing in Millville, N.J., and was struck by how outdated his knowledge was. Clearly, not everyone has the good fortune to see New Jersey’s public libraries in action. Each day, I see the impressive range of services that libraries provide to communities, some with state or federal resources, but most often with generous municipal and/or county financial support. While well-used, today’s library is more than a repository for books. It is a place of learning, a place of connection, and a place of hope: facets that are timeless and enduring. Libraries will never go out of style or become outmoded since their very essence is people and learning. Did you know, for example, library makerspaces are bringing high-tech devices like laser cutters and 3D printers to even the smallest of communities? That you can visit with a social worker, a small business adviser, or get help finding a job at a library? Or that healthy living seminars and gardens are supporting healthier communities? Technology spaces are giving people a chance to learn critical literacy and digital skills that support success in education and employment. Next time you’re out and about in your community, stop by; you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you see. The people of New Jersey are privileged to have an abundance of libraries available, spaces where learning takes place, connections are made, and hope is always free.

Jen Nelson, state librarian, New Jersey State Library

Last month’s chemical spill into the Delaware River came on the eve of the anniversary of the largest contaminant catastrophe in Pennsylvania’s history: the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island. In the days following the meltdown, local communities were exposed to radioactive gasses and iodine equivalent to 100,000 X-rays, yet were reassured by the government that there was no cause for concern. Decades later, residents face increased cancer rates compared with the rest of the country. The Three Mile Island accident raised safety concerns and led to increased scrutiny of the nuclear power industry’s safety procedures. Today, local officials and the media are reporting that the Trinseo PLC plant spill is nothing to worry about. But as we’ve seen repeatedly, chemical spills can and do have wide-ranging impacts, indicating the need for stronger, more actively enforced safety policies. A liquid latex spill not only contaminates waterways and soil, but can also cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, and other health issues in people.

To prevent and mitigate future spills, we must strengthen federal and state regulations and laws related to chemicals, particularly in the handling, transportation, and storage of hazardous materials. Require companies to develop and implement emergency response plans for chemical spills, including plans for evacuations, containment, and cleanup. Require environmental monitoring to detect potential contamination from spills and ensure communities are protected from any releases. Include communities surrounding chemical plants in chemical safety decision-making processes. These and other solutions can protect public health and our environment, as long as the government, industry, and we, the people, work together and transparently.

Maggie Dewane, digital media manager, Center for Progressive Reform

As the national debt default debacle looms and reports mount about chaos among House Republicans, I cannot help but look at U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. The Pennsylvania representative bases his public persona around his leadership of the Problem Solvers Caucus. There are enough lawmakers in his caucus that they could solve this default problem — if they voted with the Democrats to avert the crisis. This should be feasible, as these members voted to avoid the same default during the Trump presidency. But in Fitzpatrick, it appears we have yet another MAGA enabler, unwilling to solve the actual problems confronting our country. Our nation is facing impending economic doom at the hands of the far-right fringe of the Republican Party, and instead of implementing a fix, Fitzpatrick and his party are making plans on how to manage the rubble after the disaster. Should the nation default, we know who refused to solve the problem.

Kierstyn P. Zolfo, Newtown

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