I used to be not surprised by the Cape Cod Times newspaper article “Elderly Cape Cod veterans forced to travel long distances for qualifying exams for advantages.” (4/29) Unfortunately, that is a problem for many individuals who live in Massachusetts, and never just military veterans.
Last month, I needed to travel from Hyannis to Taunton, which is an hour automobile ride each way, simply to have a dental surgeon give me a second X-ray of my teeth to substantiate my dentist’s initial X-rays confirming me to have seven of my teeth pulled out as a way to get dentures for my bottom teeth. The office visit took about 10 minutes.
I needed to travel this far because I desired to be put under anesthetics to avoid feeling pain during this hour-long procedure, and apparently, no local oral surgeon closer to Hyannis would accept Medicaid for insurance so I might not must be fully awake while having my teeth pulled out.
A couple of months ago, my sister, who has skin cancer, needed to travel 54 miles from Pittsfield to Chicopee. My sister was told there aren’t any local dermatologists who would accept her insurance. That was why she was forced to make the long drive to see a physician for 20 minutes as a way to ensure that she had no cancerous moles on her body.
I do have sympathy for elderly veterans who must travel many miles from their homes for unnecessary doctor appointments. But, I also think that each one the individuals who live in Massachusetts, who are only atypical civilians, mustn’t must travel over 100 miles in a single day to see a physician for a non-emergency procedure or doctor visit.
Bram Hurvitz, Hyannis
Senate must vote to finish child marriage in Massachusetts
Did you understand that children can get married in Massachusetts, some as young as 13? Since 2000, 1,246 children were married here and 83% of those marriages were girls married to adult men, in accordance with state Rep. Kay Khan, D-Newton. The U.S. State Department considers child marriage a human rights violation.
As a clinical social employee on Cape Cod, I’ve learned that girls married before 18 usually tend to experience physical and sexual assault, they usually haven’t any access to domestic shelters or legal support because they’re minors. Last 12 months, nearby Recent York and Rhode Island passed laws banning child marriage entirely. But because Massachusetts’ state law has loopholes that allow child marriage, and since our state has no residence requirement for marriage, we could develop into a destination site for child marriages.
Recently, the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously approved an amendment to the state budget that will end child marriage. An Act to End Child Marriage. Now the Senate must approve the bill before it would head to the governor’s desk.
Please contact your senators to make Massachusetts the seventh state to eliminate this dangerous abuse of kids.
Sheila Scott Gordon, Falmouth
