To the Editor:

The ugly fight between Blue Cross and Mission Hospital has no winners. Thousands of Western North Carolina residents stand to get hurt. It appears the parties are unable to even have a civil conversation.

So my question is why aren’t our elected officials — Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, Rep. Mike Clampbitt, R-Bryson City, Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Asheville, doing something to ensure health care access for their constituents and protecting hundreds of health care jobs?

They have voted to push Medicaid in North Carolina into a for-profit corporate structure, refused to expand Medicaid, and on the part of Rep. Meadows supported a proposed federal budget that would cut up to $700 billion from Medicaid, which will badly hurt nursing homes residents, the 40 percent of North Carolina children on Medicaid, and disabled citizens.

So at least get involved in helping BCBSNC and Mission resolve their conflict. Do something positive for a change!

Stephen Wall MD

Waynesville