Living right is not a cure-all; we need the ACA

This is a response to a Nov. 16 letter to the editor (“Personal responsibility saves money”). I have been a vegetarian for almost 50 years, eat organic fruits and vegetables, do water aerobics almost every day for an hour, have never smoked, have all my immunizations, and brush and floss my teeth four times a day, but I developed thyroid cancer.

So your idea is that I would only need catastrophic coverage? What does personal responsibility have to do with developing cancer or being hit by a drunk driver or being shot while watching a concert or attending a church service or an elementary school? These incidents can produce catastrophic expenses that can’t be covered by your community, church, social group, or family. I hate to tell you this, but sometimes bad things happen to people who are doing all the right things. That’s the reason we need the ACA.

Doris Fulton

Lynnwood