Gov. Paul LePage is to be congratulated for the success of his weight loss through bariatric surgery. Reflecting on how this has benefited his health and that of others, he rightly stresses how this valuable, potentially life-saving procedure should be covered by insurance, and it often is. That recalls two thoughts for me.

The governor fully understands how vital health insurance is to him; why is he so reluctant to extend that benefit to others?

Second, obesity is part of a group of diseases, like smoking, alcoholism and substance-use disorder, that are often thought of as lifestyle diseases that some think could and should be overcome through will power. The governor recognizes how impossible that challenge was for him and how grateful he was for medical treatment.

Once again, he ought to extend similar understanding to those who struggle with their demons and need the help of the medical system, instead of deriding those treatments as useless.

Steve Bien, MD, Farmington