Letters to the Editor: Dec. 14

To the Editor:,

The 2018 Arizona Opioid Prescribing Guideline and CDC recommends non-pharmaceutical therapies for chronic pain management. To reduce the over-prescription of opioids, expanding health care coverage for long-term non-pharmaceutical pain therapies is necessary for Arizonians with chronic pain.

Currently, the Social Security Act has a series of requirements that need to be met to provide coverage for non-pharmaceutical therapies and alternative chronic pain management treatments. In addition, proof of a medical diagnosis by a professional is required for coverage. Protected chronic conditions are limited to inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, renal disease, neurological conditions, back injuries, and Somatoform disorders. However, coverage is not guaranteed.

Coverage should be expanded to include interdisciplinary and integrative pain evaluation and treatment programs for those experiencing chronic pain. Programs and services may include behavioral therapy, education, training, medical management, physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Zoha Ahmed, Austin Specht, Ken Batai, Megan Corr, Dominique Delco, MPH students at the UA's Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

Southwest side

Mar-a-lottery

Are Republicans ready to shut down the Mar-a-lottery? Returns haven't been too productive. Other options? Bingo would attract the senior vote; Wheel of Fortune for the middle aged; beer pong or cornhole for the collegiate vote. But voting and gambling are like drinking and driving. Both are no-nos. GOP, close the Mar-a-lottery and find a new way to earn a vote.

Joe Sanchez

Marana

Homeless issues

The problem of homelessness is not unique to Tucson, however, the potential answer could be an opportunity to develop solutions that are unique, based on the nature of Tucson.

The growing problems with homelessness seem to expand as excuses and exceptions are made. There are property laws and criminal laws that need to be enforced but so often are ignored. So often, solutions seem to ignore the rights of those that are not homeless, allowing the encroachment on private property rights, even to encroach on public property. While cardboard condos with shopping cart storage provide temporary, unsafe and unsanitary options, we are better than that. The social functions of dealing with the homeless is not a police function, shifting from the responsibility of protecting the public. Mental illness requires dedicated resources, not a subset of law enforcement. Time to get the social advocates out of the way and find answers intended to solve the problem, not make excuses.

Loran Hancock

Northwest side

Sinema, the toddler

Well, there she goes again. Sinema, the toddler, just has to be the center of attention. So she found a way to grab headlines and power, again. Interesting that she says she was always an Independent at heart. Then why didn’t she run as one? She betrayed my vote, but then her whole career in the Senate was mostly a betrayal. It was never about what was good for the people of Arizona. It was always about Me, Me, Me. I can’t wait to vote her out.

Jean Israel

SaddleBrooke