I contacted my Congressman, Dean Heller, regarding the Health Care Reform Legislation I remember explaining that the point of view he was advocating was Pro-infant mortality, Pro-obscene Health Executive Compensation, and Pro-Emergency Room chaos. I received a response that I would love to share with the good reader, along with my rebuttal-
Thank you for contacting me to share your ideas regarding healthcare reform. I appreciate your thoughts on this vital issue.
To begin with, your input is vital to my efforts to represent you in Congress.
We can start with this. My input is exactly this. I applaud long overdue efforts the President and members of the Majority in Congress to fix what passes for Health Care in this country. The result of our privatized Health Care has been an infant mortality rate on par with third world countries, huge Bonuses for Health Insurance Executives, and lack of access to preventative care resulting in chaos in the nations Emergency Rooms. This was what my input to your office was. I have zero hope that you will ignore the Insurance Lobby and your own party's obstructionist policy but I'm happy to provide my input regarding the miserable and miserly job your party has done on this issue. Not just since Obama took office, but these failures and abdications of responsibility date back to the 90's promises of a Republican plan to be implemented if Clinton Care failed. Such a plan never materialized and we had to endure over a decade of obscene effects of privatized Health Insurance since then. I'm open to anything you have to say, but you do understand the track record is not good.
I am happy to explain what I think Congress can do to ensure all Americans have access to quality healthcare. Congress must address the fundamental problems with the way healthcare is provided in our country. First, we need to recognize that the current employer-based system of coverage needs some reform.
Well as someone who was operated on last year and had a co-pay, and a deductible, and premiums deducted from my paycheck and it still isn't paid off, believe me Congressman, on that bit-you are preaching to the choir!
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the number one provider of jobs in America. Unfortunately, too many small businesses simply can't keep up with the skyrocketing cost of health insurance on their own.
This is something that could easily be remedied by busting up some of the Health Care monopolies and oligarchies. That is, if the Republicans would quit obstructing efforts to do so. But do continue with your point, Congressman.
Allowing small businesses to band together to increase their insurance buying power through Association Health Plans (AHPs), sometimes called Small Business Health Plans, will help more business offer affordable coverage to their employees.
Congressman, the purpose of these AHP's is not and never has been promotion of buying power of health care consumers (otherwise known has people suffering from illnesses). These bills strip away state-enacted consumer protections, such as protections that prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people with disabilities or chronic health conditions. Any desire to improve small businesses ability to band together will need to safeguard important rights that the states have already established. Funny how people who advocate this steamrolling of states rights by the Federal Government manage to call themselves "conservatives" with a straight face. The fact that so much propaganda has portrayed the Democrats proposal as a Federal takeover, and then a Republican's answer is something to eliminate State enacted consumer protection might be funny if people weren't dying.
I support many other initiatives to inject competition in the healthcare market to bring medical costs down. Millions of Americans have already experienced the benefits offered by Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).These accounts allow patients to pay for the care they need from an account that receives special tax treatment while providing coverage for catastrophic medical needs. I support efforts to guarantee the tax benefits and improve the portability of HSAs.
I'm actually open to this idea provided that what Congress gives us with the right hand (a HSA that helps me out come tax time) the insurance companies don't take away with the left hand (a policy that promotes higher deductibles.) And given the Republican track record, I'm very skeptical that we'd get HSA's without a license to steal being given to insurance companies!
I will also continue advocating meaningful medical liability reform. Our broken legal system burdens small businesses with high insurance costs and frivolous legislation. Small businesses bear 69 percent if the $143 billion annual costs that the tort system imposes on our economy.
Congressman, if anyone injures me, be it small business or HMO or drug company I want to retain the ability to make them accountable using a court of law. Punitive damage awards help discourage future victimization. Some of these companies will knowingly put dangerous products out on the marketplace, counting that the profits made will be significantly more than any amount they have to settle in lawsuits. I want more accountability from the Private Sector not less, especially given the track record of the last few years of scandals. The occasional frivolous lawsuit is no reason to sacrifice large scale accountability.
I have cosponsored legislation that would take significant steps to reduce the number of frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits. This legislation would provide needed tort reform on the federal level similar to the changes I fought for in Nevada several years ago.
Once again, thanks for nothing. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the current Republican plan which makes tort reform a centerpiece of its proposal would still leave 52 million without Health Care. And it would allow Health Insurance companies to "cherry pick" healthy people whose premiums would still go up. It would only allow for 3 million of uninsured to receive coverage by 2019. I repeat my original point that these policies advocated by the GOP are nonetheless Pro-infant mortality, Pro-obscene Health Executive Compensation, and Pro-Emergency Room chaos.
Finally, I believe Americans pay too much for many of their medications.
Congressman Heller, I agree 100%.
While amazing breakthroughs in pharmaceutical medicine continues, these discoveries won't do American patients any good if they can't afford the treatment. That's why I support the establishment of a prescription drug reimportation program, through which individual Americans and pharmacies could brig more affordable medication in from nations with drug safety programs comparable to America's.
Wouldn't this be the more expensive option? Don't a lot of these companies rely on the Public Sector to come up with the breakthroughs which they capitalize on? How about putting in some contract or law that punishes them monetarily for price gouging if they want to capitalize unfairly on research the public funded?
A good example of this is what became of the Human Genome Project's research. As soon as it was complete, huge parts of our genetic heritage were privatized and wonderful gene specific medicine which wouldn't exist if not for a massive public investment will have access limited to it by private companies. While I understand they want a return on the lengthy trials of a new drug, the public funded the original research and deserves protection against price gouging!
Injecting free market principles in the healthcare system, whether through AHPs, HSAs, or reimportation, will help every patient in America.
No it won't! The Congressional Budget Office directly contradicts that statement. Only 3 million will be added to the rolls of the insured if you and the GOP and the K Street insurance lobby have their way! You end your letter with a statement the CBO says is false!
Tackling these issues will bring us closer to a healthcare delivery system that meets the needs of our diverse population. You can be sure I will keep your ideas regarding healthcare reform in mind as related issues come before Congress.
By the way, before we change the subject, it occurs to me that you and every Republican in Congress and their families are enrolled in the FEHBP (Federal Employee Health Benefits Program). Up to 75% of the premiums are paid by ME-the taxpayer! You even get the benefits of the Office of the Attending Physician. All 535 members of Congress do. Even the "socialist medicine" hating Republicans get all the benefits of 12 Navy doctors on staff and Bethesda and Walter Reed Hospitals for only $503 a year! Me and other taxpayers pick up the tap for the rest. No AHPs,HSAs, or reimportation for you guys. That's only for us lowly citizen taxpayers.
I think you can understand my skepticism now. The double standard is so odious as to not take anything you say on the subject seriously. When Michelle "Census Conspiracy Theory" Bachman, Steve "83K uninsured in his district and clueless" King and yourself publicly renounce the FEHBP and go to the private insurance you love so much I might give you the benefit of the doubt. Until then, I have no representation in Washington on this issue as far as I'm concerned.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please continue keeping me informed of the issues that matter to you.
Sincerely,
Dean Heller
It's been like talking to a brick wall so far. I called your office regarding the most important issue facing the country today and what I got back was GOP talking points. Nothing this citizen has said so far has counted for anything that counters K Street, the Heritage Foundation, and other think tanks and advocacy groups whom I loath. Nor has the GOP's kowtowing to their needs before those of the citizen taxpayer changed. But, if you insist, I'll keep sounding off in outrage and disgust at the current state of the country!
Sincerely,
Russell G. Davis
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