The U.S. Census Data reports that between 1960 and 2003, the city of Texarkana, Texas, has experienced a population growth of 4,702, a little over 15 percent, in 43 years. During the same period, the United States population has increased 66 percent.

No incorporated city can improve when burdened with a stagnant population growth and tax base, no matter what the growth of the greater suburban and metropolitan area. A city must be nourished by its own population and economy, not just whats happening outside its city limits.

After the votes are counted on Saturday and the oaths of office taken, the council would be wise to announce that its new direction is an almost single-minded focus toward attaining, within the next 5 years, the maximum population, business and economic growth within the city limits of Texarkana, Texas. That focus should have at its forefront a plan to transform the city of Texarkana, Texas, into the revitalized heart of its suburban and metropolitan area, restoring a sense of community, beauty and livability to all neighborhoods, making Texarkana, Texas, the place to be.

Only after setting these goals will the Texarkana, Texas, City Council know what they are looking for in a new city manager.

Its really all about leadership. We cant expect a city manager to do great things if the council itself doesnt establish expectations of greatness.

Nor is it selfish for the city of Texarkana, Texas, to concentrate on its own health and progress. When it succeeds, the entire metropolitan area benefits.

Robert Brown

Texarkana, Texas

Regulation causes concern

TO THE EDITOR:

As a hospital administrator at HealthSouth of Texarkana, an inpatient rehabilitation hospital, I am deeply worried about a government regulation known as the 75 Percent Rule that would negatively impact the unique care and services that these hospitals and units such as ours can provide.

Many patients are not able to return directly home from hospitalization after suffering a serious injury or illness and inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and units such as ours provide the essential post-acute care these patients need.

In 2002, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began implementation of what is known as the 75 Percent Rule for inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and units. This meant that a percentage of patients, increasing over the next few years up to 75 percent, must be treated for one of 13 specific conditions in order for a hospital to retain its inpatient rehabilitation status. This status gives HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital the ability to receive adequate Medicare compensation for the intense rehabilitation to get back to their previous level of independent function.

Essentially, the 75 Percent Rule doesnt account for whole classes of patients, including transplant patients, cardiac patients and many others, whose condition may not be prevalent enough to be on the list but who desperately need intensive rehabilitation to get back to their previous level of independent function.

Like me, other administrators across the country are feeling the pressure of operating under a rule that decreases the number of people desperately in need of care who we can treat but do not fall within a specific category of care. We are worried that this rule, which will continue to rise until it reaches 75 percent in 2008, will limit our ability to provide high-quality inpatient rehabilitative care to our patients.

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate to prevent the full implementation of this burdensome federal regulation.

The ‘Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act of 2007 addresses the concerns of the entire inpatient rehabilitative health care community. The bill would hold the current 60 percent threshold for compliance and ensure that appropriate medical necessity standards are utilized when evaluating the need for inpatient rehabilitation care.

I believe the Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act of 2007 is the best solution by which those of us in the inpatient rehabilitation health care community can provide the best available care. Lets hope our legislators act soon.

Joanne Rose, CEO

HealthSouth Rehabilitation

Hospital of Texarkana

Keep border closed

TO THE EDITOR:

The United States Department of Transportation is poised to kick the border wide open to trucks from Mexico operating throughout the U.S. This will have a very real effect on all highway users.

DOT says safety and security programs are in place. This is a joke!

Truckers in the United States must hold a valid commercial drivers license with 10 years of driving history. For the Mexican equivalent, we wont know if these drivers are trained as truckers or terrorists.

United States truckers are required to be drug and alcohol tested and to follow hours of service regulations for driving time. No such regulations exist in Mexico.

DOT says every truck will be inspected at the border. Not likely. They inspect less than 4 percent right now. And what will these trucks haul into the U.S.? Could be people or drugs or dirty bombs. We wont know.

Why the rush to open the border? The answer is money. The United States Chamber of Commerce believes we need more trucks and cheaper labor. So, safety is compromised and American drivers lose their jobs. Doesnt sound like anyone in this country wins.

Right now, there are definitely more questions than answers. And until the DOT can assure the public that Mexican trucks are just as safe as U.S. trucks, the border must stay closed.

Contact your elected officials today and tell them to keep the border closed!

Linda Lowry

Atlanta, Texas