I appreciate the many comments I have received on my Jan. 1 In Focus article on health care. I believe the article achieved its objective of having people think about what they were being told about health care.

I would like to respond to two comments made by my old friend and political polar opposite Dick Hames on Jan. 16.

Dick said I would like a single payer system without any private insurance. This is not correct. I believe private insurance should still be allowable to those who chose to purchase it just as it currently is to supplement Medicare. It is also allowed in the UK to supplement and allow greater choice in their national health system.

Dick called this "socialized medicine." While I dislike simple labels to describe complex systems, I have to agree. The system I would like can be called "socialized medicine" in the same context that we have "socialized medicine" today for those over 65, "socialized education" for grades K through 12, "socialized national defense" and "socialized pensions" aka Social Security. In all of these existing "socialized benefits" we are required to pay so they are available if and when needed.

Mike Lawrence, West Richland