Copyright 2000 Gannett Company, Inc.
USA TODAY
August 9, 2000, Wednesday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 12A
LENGTH: 472 words
HEADLINE:
Sex-bias suit serves as wake-up call
BODY:
Bravo to
Planned Parenthood of Seattle and pharmacist Jennifer
Erickson on her
sex-discrimination suit against her employer ("Lawsuit
seeks coverage of
birth control," News, July 20).
This lawsuit would not be necessary,
as I see things, if Congress
hadn't knuckled under to the male-managed
insurance industry and
the Roman Catholic Church -- both in
opposition to contraceptives
for different reasons.
Lawmakers have buried legislation to require
insurance
coverage for birth control way too long.
Yet insurance
carriers didn't need the slightest push to cover
Viagra, which costs 10
times as much per pill.
We don't expect male-headed church hierarchy
and insurers to care
about women's health needs.
But every
election year, all the of House and a third of the Senate
proclaim to be
concerned about our half the population.
Let's hold their feet to
the fire. Tell us, candidates and incumbents,
will you vote for legislation
to require coverage for birth control?
We're listening.
Kathy
Fryer Helmbock
Cincinnati, Ohio
Long-term care
USA TODAY's recent report, "Employers stepping up in elder care,"
does an excellent job of highlighting how employers are recognizing
the
importance of providing elder-care benefits to employees and
dependents
(Money, Thursday).
In fact, within the past five years, the number
of employers offering
private long-term-care insurance has
tripled.
With long-term-care insurance, family
members can obtain home-health
care to keep a loved one at home, or seek the
best nursing-care
facility available -- without having to quit a job.
It's no surprise that a recent government survey shows that roughly
two out of three people providing informal care to a loved one
believe
that the availability of private long-term-care insurance
has reduced their level of stress.
Winthrop Cashdollar
Director, Center for Disability
and Long-Term Care
Insurance
Washington, D.C.
Teens are
individuals
As I read comments against and in support of music rapper
Eminem,
I ask myself, what's the big deal here ("Eminem hits high, low
notes," Letters, Friday)?
I am age 18 and will admit to
listening to some of Eminem's music.
But I also admit to listening to other
types of music, such as
Whitney Houston and oldies.
While I
don't agree with some of Eminem's lyrics, it's more about
taste. I am about
to start my freshman year in college -- and
entering with good grades while
holding down a full-time job.
In spite of listening to Eminem, I do
not consider myself lazy
or full of rage. Unfortunately, older generations
like to generalize.
Granted, there is a small group of teens out there that
gives
the rest of us a bad name, but don't judge the whole by the mistakes
of a few.
Martin Fraim
Aubrey, Texas
LOAD-DATE: August 09, 2000
