Readers Write: National Guard members shot, Blue Cross and seniors’ gym access, winter

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Let us brace ourselves for a barrage of hate-filled messaging about immigrants and former President Joe Biden from President Donald Trump and his law enforcement lackeys. Sarah Beckstrom, the National Guard member who was killed, should have been home in West Virginia having a Thanksgiving weekend with her family (“Guard member shot in D.C. dies,” Nov. 28). We have hundreds of young volunteer National Guard members wandering cities they have no need to be in. There is no national emergency they are attending to. There are only the machinations of an elderly, ego-driven man and his power-hungry, divisive staff putting them at risk.

It is another gun tragedy that will be elevated only to foster more hate against perceived enemies.

Suzanne Davies, Lutsen, Minn.

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I’ve been hearing and reading many comments about how sad it is that the young National Guard member, Sarah Beckstrom, died in Washington, D.C. Trump, as usual, is blaming an entire group of people for the terrible actions of one individual. But the simple fact is, she shouldn’t have died because she, and the rest of the troops, should never have been sent to D.C. in the first place.

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When a single Afghan immigrant shoots two National Guard members, one of whom later dies from their injuries, what is the response from Trump? He uses the tragedy as an excuse to harden even more his totalitarian immigration policy and to be even more mean to not only his political opponents but immigrants from over a dozen different nations, including the many Somali refugees peacefully living here in Minnesota.

So when a dissident journalist is killed in cold blood by an oil-rich country that Trump and his family stand to gain billions of dollars from, his response should be the same, right? After all, murder is murder.

Well, things happen.

Jonathan Blehert, Golden Valley

If only our president would react with the same purpose and anger when students and teachers and other citizens are shot and killed by American citizens as he has by the shooting of two members of the National Guard (who were in D.C. at his direction) by a fully vetted immigrant.

Cyndy Crist, St. Paul

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The tragic shooting of two National Guard troops was foreseeable in our heavily armed, and often contentious, society. The response to send more troops to Washington, D.C., fails to explain how it addresses the possibility of more violence; more troops simply introduces more targets. It may be true that the occurrence of serious D.C. crime has decreased since troop deployment, but how long will army troops remain on our streets? Will it be forever? Are we to become a society under perpetual military control? Or, will a soldier now be emboldened to shoot and kill protesting civilians who the soldier suspects to be a threat? Will we now have the American military killing Americans? If law enforcement presence on the street is the way to fight crime, couldn’t we instead allocate more funds to hire more police? Is it really necessary to introduce military control into our cities?

Thomas Wexler, Edina

A short time ago, I learned that UCare was discontinuing its Medicare Advantage plans and as a result, I made the decision to move to coverage through Blue Cross. During the enrollment process, I specifically asked if YMCA memberships were covered under the plan I was considering. The answer was an unequivocal yes. That and the complete inclusion of the doctors my wife and I visit made the decision to choose Blue Cross easy.

Now, with almost no time left to change insurers, I learn through a source other than Blue Cross that my membership at the Woodbury YMCA is no longer covered. For background, my primary exercise is swimming for a lot of reasons I won’t delve into. I searched Google Maps for fitness clubs other than the Y and Life Time and found none within a reasonable daily driving distance. There are dozens of seniors like me who rely on the swimming pool at the Y for healthy exercise. Though Blue Cross Blue Shield states that plans are subject to change without notice, I find it very disingenuous of the company to have stated that YMCA dues were covered only to change the plan only days before closing of the enrollment period for Medicare plans.

How about Blue Cross and SilverSneakers sitting down and negotiating a plan that allows for continued inclusion of the YMCA in the insurance plans? Isn’t that better than forcing very uncomfortable and difficult decisions on the thousands of senior citizens impacted by the sudden move?

Mark Wolters, Woodbury

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Meanwhile, seniors who are insured by one of their supplemental/Medigap plans have also received an increase — but not a beneficial one.

My premium will increase to over $350 a month. (Supplemental differs from Advantage plans in too many ways to list here but is considerably more expensive.) I chose this plan given my various health issues. I manage those health issues in part through regular exercise at the YMCA with SilverSneakers through Blue Cross. As of January, Blue Cross will no longer include the Y in that program. The Y has programs specifically geared toward and is welcoming of seniors.

My annual out-of-pocket medical cost will now be almost $10,000 per year if I add a Y membership. I am not wealthy, and these expenses are a strain on my budget, but I am one of the lucky ones. I don’t have to choose between paying for a medical treatment or drugs and paying for food.

According to the Star Tribune, the cost to insurers per visit per senior is $3. What an incredibly shortsighted decision on the part of Blue Cross to cut a program that provides a proactive and inexpensive way for seniors to stay healthy, both physically and mentally.

Kathe Flynn, Plymouth

Shame on Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (note: You operate under the banner of “coverage you can count on”) and yet you eliminate access to a leading and proven means to improve health? Imagine what a review board would do to any physician who, to the proven detriment of their patients, cut their patients’ instrumental care? I view this as unconscionable. To the board and leadership of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, how can you look at your loved ones and yourself in the mirror and betray the bedrock objective of your organization?

J. Reid, Minneapolis

There was joy and awe all around me from the sparkling snowfall. Our sledding hill was packed with children. Literally all the kids from blocks around showed up for the fun, piling on top of each other and whizzing down the hill screaming and laughing. I teared up with memories from my 60-plus years ago of the same thrill ride. What would we ever do without winter?