INSURANCE

LAWMAKERS MUST RAISE MD REIMBURSEMENTS

I live in Kailua, Kona and earlier this year I got a job at a local hardware store. My only option for a health insurance plan was HMSA. It was my responsibility to select a doctor from its list and call the doctor to ensure he or she would accept this plan. None of the doctors would accept this HMSA plan. This leads me to believe the obvious — doctors are leaving the Islands because reimbursement from HMSA is well below that of other insurers.

It's up to our legislators to fix this crisis. They make the laws that allow HMSA to do what it does. Please encourage your local legislator to force HMSA to provide more money where it needs to go — to our doctors. HMSA has been lobbying the Legislature for 50 years; now it's our turn.

So the next time you see an HMSA commercial on TV, ask yourself one question: Why are they wasting our money on this commercial?

'MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS'

WAS IT SCROOGE WHO REVIEWED DHT PLAY?

Joe Rozmiarek's bah humbug review (Island Life, Dec. 5) of Diamond Head Theatre's "Meet Me In St. Louis" suggests that Scrooge is alive and still ill in Honolulu.

Not only did we enjoy the play very much, it got us out of the Ghost of Christmas Past chains and into this holiday season's bright future.

If second-grader Chelsea Lynn Michel's Tiny Tim-level performance didn't get Rozmiarek's heart moving faster, then he needs to schedule an emergency appointment with his cardiologist.

Not sure what he was expecting out of a 60-year-old revival of a Hollywood musical, but if it was Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney then it's going to be a long cold winter.

For us and many of the standing ovation around us, we'd just like to see it extended over the holidays so we can take our families to see it again.

WARRIORS

UH FOOTBALL STAFF, TEAM HAVE MADE STATE PROUD

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones and his tremendous staff have done an exceptional job of molding young athletes into an elite team. They have made history and have brought joy to the Islands.

They did this all on a shoestring budget. Their opponent in the Sugar Bowl spends $60 million a year on the Georgia football program, which dwarfs the $2.5 million Jones has to work with.

Yet through his innovative offense and smart recruiting, he has taken the program to the big time. Their success has been an economic boon to the entire state. Well done, June Jones, staff and team. You are special; you have made us all proud of you.

SOME UH FANS ON FIELD HAD MOCKING ATTITUDE

We were sitting in the end zone near the student section at last Saturday's UH football game and saw many encounters between the police and fans charging the field.

It is ridiculous for anyone to suggest the students were met with undeserved violence. Students were pelting the police officers with rubbish, water bottles and other items.

Every student who jumped the rail illegally ran at full speed onto the field — most of them with a mocking attitude toward the police officers. Was alcohol a factor? Many of those caught by police officers violently resisted and assaulted the officers. How is a police officer supposed to stop a person running full speed without using some force?

Would these fans complain about excessive force if Colt Brennan or one of the other players had been hurt during all the excitement?

Last week there were complaints about the police not stoping fans from going on the field and look what happened — six helmets were stolen (they were later returned). What amazes us is that no one is complaining about the ignorance of the fans who did not follow the directions about staying in the stands. This caused all those waiting for the Senior Night recognition to wait even longer.

What we would like to see is someone use the video to apprehend all those who illegally charged the field, assaulted police officers and resisted arrest. Good luck in New Orleans, Warriors!

UH SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE FAITH IN ITS FANS

Auwe. How could the University of Hawai'i give up 4,000 seats without even asking the fans?

My husband and I thought 17,500 seats were a lot to sell. We would have loved to go, but as fans we were willing to pay for some seats in hopes of sending a couple of students currently enrolled in schools on the East Coast who were willing to represent us and Hawai'i.

I'm sure many more fans would have done their part. Now you are faced with too many fans and not enough tickets.

We believed all season; couldn't you have believed in us just once.

UNHAPPY FAN BOOKED FLIGHT, NO GAME TICKET

We are all very proud of the University of Hawai'i football team.

They have brought great attention to our state. Congratulations to Colt Brennan and the Warriors.

University of Hawai'i officials should be ashamed of themselves over the Sugar Bowl ticket debacle. They did not even give people a chance to buy tickets.

I am a season ticket holder, and I would like an explanation. I bought a ticket to New Orleans first, in part because of your headline that there were plenty of tickets but no flights. I am extremely unhappy.

HAWAI'I BOWL

UH FANS SHOULD CHEER FOR BOISE STATE, TOO

There have been a number of letters from Idaho residents congratulating the University of Hawai'i Warriors on their win and wishing them success in the Sugar Bowl.

At the same time, we know many supporters of our Warriors are having great difficulty getting to the Sugar Bowl, either due to game ticket shortages or airline accommodations.

I hope those who can't make it to New Orleans will support Boise State and the Hawai'i Bowl.

It would be a great demonstration of aloha for that worthy opponent of Hawai'i as well as return of the support their fans have demonstrated for Hawai'i.