Readers Write: May 17

No health plan will be universally accepted

Regardless of party affiliation, none of our elected officials seem to be willing to talk about or explain to the American public the necessity for insurance companies to receive more money in premiums than they pay out in claims. Insurance companies must make a profit with their health care coverages or they will cease to be in business. Obviously this would be best accomplished through insurance premiums paid, whether by employers/companies or individuals; however, the federal government seems to want to take on part of this cost.

There is resistance to plans that require older people and those with greater medical problems to pay higher premiums than healthy people. This type of cost allocation is already done with life insurance policies and auto insurance as older people pay more for life insurance and younger drivers and those with problematic driving records pay more for auto insurance. There is likely no plan that will be universally accepted.

One interesting scenario would be if life insurance companies also handled health insurance. There would certainly be incentives for the insurance companies to keep customers healthy and living longer so as not to pay out the life insurance.

MIKE DEAL, ALPHARETTA

Special prosecutor needed to shine light on Trump

America requires a special prosecutor to investigate connections between the Trump campaign, the Trump cabinet, and Putin’s Russia. Do the president’s tax returns show a connection to Russian financial interests? We need a special prosecutor to know if that is what he is hiding. By firing James Comey, the head of the investigation shifts to the very underling who trumped up a charge on which to fire the head of the investigation. Any investigation headed by such a lapdog will not be trusted by citizens. Voters will not support politicians who do not investigate these very serious inroads into our national security.

PATRICK EDMONDSON, ATLANTA