We need a super fund for life’s needs

We have super funds to clean up oil spills and to clean up the environment. We have super funds to remove contamination from industrial sites so that new buildings can replace old buildings. So why can't we develop a super fund to help folks take advantage of breakthroughs in society? We need something like this to cover the unforeseen calamities of life.

We need this in addition to our regular insurance programs.

Let's see, we have heart transplants, brain disorders, drug rehabilitation programs, job retraining, education initiatives and such. But all these things are financially out of reach for older workers. They don't have the savings necessary to start over. For example, there is a loophole in Medicare funding that pays for transplants but doesn't pay for medicine afterward. Thus the family has an unexpected burden.

What we need is a super fund to start over. Maybe it could be Social Security. But I write to get you thinking about this specific problem. Maybe we should write to our congressman. Or have a fund drive. Or maybe this could be the arm of the church.

A major calamity can turn a well-financed family into bankruptcy. A war injury can turn a family upside down because family members are not paid for their home care.

The candidates running for president should address this issue.

Al Swegle

Cedar Rapids