LETTERS: Local performing arts worthy of RJ coverage

The recent decision by the Review-Journal to scale back reviewing and writing about local performing arts is a great disservice to the community and proves counterintuitive to a healthy, balanced society that celebrates diversity, culture and tradition ("Changes offer more options to readers," Nov. 9 Review-Journal).

The arts organizations of Las Vegas are a vital part of the community and help deliver on the quality of life our city touts in courting industry, tourism and economic expansion. In a city struggling with its national ranking in education and the reduction of arts-based curriculum in public schools, the Review-Journal's decision to reduce the visibility of our city's cultural offerings — along with the work of people who act tirelessly to create, present and fund them — is disheartening and detrimental.

As nonprofit performing arts organizations struggle to acquire funding through corporate and individual donations, grants and ticket sales, while striving to grow and present quality entertainment and art forms, what we all need and deserve is for our news outlets to support that work and share our stories with the community on which the philharmonic, ballet and others rely so heavily in order to survive. We perform here, engage with our community through education outreach and partnerships, and add to the enjoyment of living and raising a family in this city.

Making the valley a world-class destination cannot be achieved without some respect for the performing arts institutions that are part of its fabric. The Review-Journal should reconsider valuing any cost-saving measure over delivering on the promise of our city and contributing to what makes us truly world-class.

Jeri Crawford

Las Vegas

The writer is president and CEO of the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Obamacare truths

After reading David Adams' Nov. 26 letter responding to a Review-Journal editorial about Obamacare, I couldn't resist responding. For anyone acquiring coverage outside the Obamacare exchanges, premiums have spiked since 2013 by more than 100 percent in some cases, and out-of-pocket costs have spiked more than 40 percent. And we have fewer carrier options.

Those who acquire coverage on the exchange have a two-fold potential benefit. Those whose incomes range from 138 percent to 205 percent of the federal poverty level are reaping the most benefits, because they receive two tax-credits. First, they receive premium relief (advanced premium tax credits), then they qualify for cost sharing reductions, which minimize claims exposure.

These individuals are killing the carriers, because they are signing up for Preferred Provider Organization programs instead of Health Maintenance Organization programs, and they have greater provider access. This eliminates the control of claims by the carriers who offer PPO programs. This also means you may have national reciprocity, allowing those with the most critical medical issues to leave the state where they purchased care and see physicians in other states that may charge significantly more per service. The HMO restricts you to the state where the plan is domiciled, and carriers have much smaller network access.

Contrary to all the rhetoric about the costs of insurance rising out of control, the "eye-popping" part is actually how much more we pay for less coverage now that Obamacare has taken root in the health care markets. Finally, people who are buying health coverage are complying with the law and avoiding tax penalties. They're buying what they can afford, which is high-deductible coverage that in some cases offers no co-payments until the deductible is satisfied, which is the real dilemma within Obamacare. And Americans were hoping that this law was going to reduce premiums by an average of $2,500 per family.

One of the promises made by President Barack Obama regarding the Affordable Care Act was: You can keep your plan, keep your doctor, save on premiums and expect greater transparency. He kept his promise with "greater transparency." We all can see much clearer how our insurance works, that we have less access to care and we cannot afford the premiums and expenses attached to Obamacare.

Patrick Casale

Las Vegas