The Star-Advertiser story, “Maui hospital raises fee but retreats after moms protest” (Star-Advertiser, July 31), is a perfect example of why we need Medicare for all.

The reporter, Kristen Consillio, wrote, “Health insurance doesn’t cover the cost of a private room because it is not medically necessary.”

Having an uncomplicated delivery is a non-medical condition. A hospital room for mother and baby should not have another mother and baby in the same room. This is a time for bonding for the baby and parents.

My experience as a registered nurse is that family members are an asset for the patient and the hospital staff.

Even in the best-staffed hospitals, an RN or CNA may not be immediately available to assist the patient. Having a family member present to attend to patient needs is beneficial to all involved.

For Kaiser to declare that the spouse would have to pay an exorbitant fee ($672) to stay in a private room demonstrates how greed is the ruling principle.

Now is the time for universal, single-payer, Medicare for all.

Mary Hackney

Kalama Valley

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Lawmakers failed to fix health care

I am no longer a member of either political party because they vote party lines and have not solved health care.

The original Obamacare law was voted on before Congress had time to read or debate it. A proven executive was not hired and held accountable for its successful implementation. It is doomed to fail if not altered.

Hawaii’s four congressional representatives voted in political lock-step without offering solutions to fix their party’s broken version of affordable health care. We elected them to solve problems, then vote.

Now the clincher: Members of Congress have a health care plan far superior to the plans available to us — a privilege they voted for themselves. That is unfair and not in the spirit of why they were elected.

They should lead by example, and limit their health coverage to the same as we get and provide leadership in working together to solve this important issue.

Then they will earn my vote.

Tom Ocasek

Hawaii Kai

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Honolulu should ban smoking in cars

With most of our keiki returning to school, the Coalition for Tobacco-Free East Hawaii is thrilled to see the Honolulu City Council introduce a bill to eliminate smoking in vehicles when a minor is present.

This August we celebrate the seventh anniversary of smoke-free vehicles in Hawaii County, and public support is overwhelming.

According to 2016 polling data, 83 percent of our residents support this law, which was passed to protect children’s developing lungs from harmful secondhand smoke that contains approximately 7,000 chemicals, of which 200 are poisonous and nearly 70 are a class A-carcinogen.

Similar to seatbelts, child car seats and cellphone use laws, this ordinance would protect our vulnerable keiki from harm, especially when exposure to secondhand smoke is not their choice.

Mahalo to the Honolulu City Council for its work to become the third county to protect keiki from secondhand smoke in cars.

Sally Ancheta

Hawaii Public Health Institute

Hilo

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President should act like a president

It is very interesting that the president of the United States acts like a kid. Or more like a terrorist, threating to cut payments to insurance companies.

It is very sad that this country has a leader who does not act like a president. President Donald Trump should be concerned about the welfare of the people. As The Wall Street Journal said, our president is like Woody Allen without humor.

Even someone like myself has more compassion for people. I care what happens to others.

I wear a breast cancer T-shirt to show that I support the American Cancer Society of Hawaii. I wear the T-shirt in memory of my granddad, grandma and my mom, plus others who have died or are survivors of cancer. Does our president care at all?

Clair Murakami

Kahului

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Move government to stadium property

The Aloha Stadium property should be redeveloped to accommodate all state and city departments and agencies.

There’s enough acreage at the stadium to build government buildings. All state and city workers living from Aiea to Kapolei can commute to work using the rail. Once the government moves out, the city of Honolulu can be redeveloped into a true residential community with more affordable housing and all streets narrowed to accommodate safe bicycling paths.

Stop the rail at the stadium. Let’s do this for our grandchildren now.

Derrick Lining

Kamehameha Heights

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Expensive homeless sweeps ineffective

So with much fanfare and public coverage, the state “swept” the homeless from their camps along the H-1 Freeway and Nimitz Highway (“State starts clearing homeless camps along H-1 freeway,” Star-Advertiser, July 26).

Supposedly, the state is spending $4 million from taxpayers ($2 million from the Legislature and $2 million in state Department of Transportation money).

And, to no one’s surprise, the homeless were back the day after. Sorry, the answer is not to re-sweep. The answer is to clear it out and be aggressive in enforcing illegal-camping laws.

And, to the naïve state homeless coordinator: These people don’t want to go to your shelters (with no drugs or alcohol allowed).

With the money you’re spending now, you could buy each one of them a one-way ticket to the destination of their choice and put them on a “no return” list.

David Young

Makiki