MEDICAID

QEXA CONTRACTS GIVEN TO WRONG COMPANIES

Faith Action for Community Equity, an interfaith community grassroots organization, firmly believes that the community should take a stand against the state's upcoming QExA Medicaid program. The award to two for-profit corporations is a diversion from our history of providing health care by our nonprofit organizations.

On Feb. 1, the Department of Human Services awarded a three-year Medicaid contract to two Mainland, for-profit health plans: WellCare Health Plans, Inc. and UnitedHealth Group.

HMSA is the third-largest business in the state, behind Bank of Hawaii and Hawaiian Electric. WellCare's revenue is twice that of HMSA, and UnitedHealth is 47 times the size of HMSA.

Both plans are mired in considerable amounts of financial and legal woes. WellCare was raided by more than 200 FBI agents at its Florida headquarters and defaulted on a $180 million loan. UnitedHealth, the second largest health plan in the nation, is under investigation for improper claim denials.

It is quite clear that DHS did not perform its due diligence. These for-profits could place their stockholder interest ahead of the healthcare needs of our fragile citizens.

While FACE recognizes that the awarded contracts cannot be overturned, FACE proposes delaying implementation allowing room for more community input and to make sure that a secure provider network is in place, which has not been done to date.

Hawai'i's healthcare is not for profit.

RAIL

START PROJECT WHERE IT WILL BE USED MOST

The construction of the rail system should start in a heavily populated area, which is Downtown/airport.

In view of things that could happen, and in the case that the project slows down or has to stop altogether for whatever reason, at least the system can be used to service and alleviate Downtown traffic. It takes 30 minutes from Kapolei to Middle Street using the Express Bus (22 miles) and it takes 20-25 minutes from Middle Street to Downtown (5 miles). Now we know who the culprit is. If the construction starts in east Kapolei and it has to stop, it will be a giant white elephant and a railway to nowhere.

WEATHER

LESSONS LEARNED FROM MASSIVE RAINSTORM

We all survived the storm, but have we learned anything new?

Lesson 1: Schools need to cancel two or three hours before starting time. Kids walking to school were exposed to danger and the parents returning to pick up their kids contributed to the traffic congestion.

Lesson 2: Police need to block off roads in advance of road blocks. Cars should be diverted at an intersection before the road block for safety and convenience.

Lesson 3: Message boards should be located along rural highways to prevent further frustration and congestion. Message boards would be deployed before the storm arrives in well- known "trouble" areas. These message boards would be activated as the need arises and would warn motorists well in advance to allow them to plan to use alternative routes.

GAMING

LEGALIZED GAMBLING CAN BOOST ECONOMY

Recently, articles have been popping up regarding the issue of gaming in Hawai'i. The negative view states that gaming causes social issues (divorce, bankruptcy, homeless etc.) and the money-makers are the corporations from the Mainland.

All social issues raised are currently present in our state and have been here for decades, yet we do not have any legal form of gaming. Yes, there might be a small increase in these social problems but the primary cause of these social problems is not the exterior factor (gaming).

The cause of these social problems is us. We make the wrong choices and we must suffer the consequences. We must not blame gaming, alcohol or these other controllable external factors on these social problems.

Now, the corporations are going to make the money. But they are going to be paying taxes to our state. They are going to employ our residents. They are going to utilize the external services of our businesses, which in turn will generate revenue for our state.

At least 1,000 people a week go from here to Las Vegas and generate money for their local businesses and their state. Why not keep it here and in addition give a different group of tourist a reason to visit here?

The bottom line is this is a means to help the hard-working people of our state to avoid being a victim of over-taxation.

PRISONS

FOR PRISONERS, VISITS ARE PRIVILEGE, NOT RIGHT

In response to Mr. Craig Chatigny's letter (Dec. 8) regarding prison guards calling in sick: Mr. Chatigny suggest that that prison guards should be grateful that they have a job in this time of economic hardship.

The Department of Public Safety does have sanctions in place for prison guards who abuse their sick leave. I for one am grateful these brave men and women are keeping our community safe.

It seems to me that Mr. Chatigny forgets that criminals are serving time for violent criminal acts. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that prisoner's visits are a privilege, not a right. Mr. Chatigny further argues that visits help prisoners "ease" back into society and that "visits surely have an effect on prisoner rates of recidivism."

Wow! Now that's a switch! Let murderers, rapist and other criminals have visits every day! That way they will never commit a crime again!

I am sure that if Mr. Chatigny was a victim of a violent crime he would want to be sure that criminal gets all his visits every day. I have two suggestions for Mr. Chatigny. First he should volunteer his time as a victim advocate. Let him see firsthand the pain that these criminals have inflicted on victims of murder, rape, assault and molestation. Second, since Mr. Chatigny is so concerned about these violent criminals visits, he should volunteer as a prison-visit monitor. Perhaps some one-on-one time with these violent criminals may be enlightening.