Opinion

Medicare’s payment system is a boon for hospitals — and a bust for patients

GUEST COLUMN, Dr. Jack Feltz and Dr. Michael Hagg

Most people over a certain age are familiar with going in for a colonoscopy, a routine method of screening for and preventing colon cancer. What they might not know is that the cost of the procedure can vary wildly depending on where they get it done.

The problem is that Medicare -- the taxpayer-funded health insurer for Americans 65 and above -- pays hospitals significantly more for common procedures than it pays physicians in private practices or ambulatory surgery centers.

Colors of harvest

GUEST COLUMN, Kim Baldwin, Kansas Farm Bureau

I’ve spent a lot of time in the cabs of tractors this month as we continue our marathon of fall harvest.

Spending so much time operating the grain cart during fall harvest has allowed me ample time to get caught up on podcasts, opportunities to start and end new audiobooks, and hear the latest songs on the radio over and over and over again.

When the tank has run dry on a political campaign, invoke Hitler

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

By this time in a presidential election, or any election for that matter, candidates need to have made their case and are now delivering their closing arguments.

While they always want to point out the flaws of the opposition, candidates also have to explain how they are the better choice.

For example, Donald Trump has proposed cuts to a variety of different taxes from taxes on tips and overtime to removing taxes on Social Security checks.

Little luxuries

THE POSTSCRIPT, Carrie Classon

I am quick to criticize other people’s luxuries.

“Buying a latte every day?” I say. “What a waste!”

But, of course, I have Peter making me coffee, and I can have it exactly the way I like it. (Lots of milk, not too much coffee.)

America’s international decline can no longer be ignored

GUEST COLUMN, Tom Patterson, Townhall.com

The bad news about America’s weakening position on the international stage just keeps pouring in. America’s allies engaged in conflict are suffering from our bad habit of supporting them just enough to keep them in battle but effectively forbidding them to win.

Israel forthrightly declared their intent a year ago to eliminate Hamas, an Iranian proxy militia which inflicted a horrific, unprovoked massacre on Jewish civilians. For Prime Minister Netanyahu it was basic self-preservation. The October 7 atrocity was one of hundreds of attacks supporting Hamas’ stated objective of eliminating all Jews “from the river to the sea.”