Health Care: Seniors

You represent Florida. Florida is the land of retirees. The proposed health care bills will have a very adverse effect on seniors.

A large portion of the proposed bills will be paid for by cuts in Medicare. Medicare will be cut by over 500 billion dollars. These cuts will be made as more and more “baby boomers” enroll in Medicare. Seniors are told that their benefits will not be cut and the quality of care will not suffer. The cuts will be offset by increased government efficiency. Is this the same government that is bankrupting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security? Is this the same government that instigated and ran “Cash for Clunkers”? The reimbursement rates for specialists and treatments are being reduced. An example of these cuts is the reduced allowance for an echo cardiogram ( a basic diagnostic procedure ). Its reimbursement rate will be cut by 40%. By drastically reducing rates the government is, in effect, rationing treatment. People will needlessly die because of these cuts.

The stimulus bill created the Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) panel. The House bill proposes a Benefits Advisory Board. These boards will decide what treatments are acceptable and who may receive them. Health care is to be “cost effective”. How “cost effective” will seniors be deemed to be?

I am dreading the time when I will have to depend on Medicare for my health care. Age should not be a determining factor for receiving health care. Can’t our government do better than this?

Government Intrusion

If the proposed health care bills were truly about health care reform, they would easily and quickly pass. The bills seem to be less about health care and more about government control and power. The American people are saying, as loudly as possible, that they do not want a government takeover of health care. The government is already intruding into our lives more than we wish.

The government says it will provide greater coverage to more people at a lower cost. The government will do this by eliminating fraud and acting efficiently. Do you really expect the American public to believe this? We have all dealt with government bureaucracies and efficiency is not even in their vocabulary. The only part of the federal government that runs efficiently is the military. While it’s nice that you want to eliminate fraud, why haven’t you already tried to do it?

In the past six months we have seen the government takeover and control our financial institutions. We have seen the government takeover two large segments of the automotive industry in a travesty that ignored actual bankruptcy laws. Companies were taken away from the actual stockholders and awarded to the gover nment and unions in a move that would have awed and impressed Hugo Chavez. Now the government wants to takeover health care. No, thank you!

Health care should remain in the hands of the patient and their selected doctor. The government should not be in this equation. If I don’t like my health care plan, I can change it. Once the government gets involved that choice will disappear. No private company can compete with a government run, government subsidized program. They will eventually all be forced out of business. The federal government was instituted to protect the American people, not to control them. Congress needs to step back from their intrusions; take a deep breath; and listen to the American people.

Off Shore Drilling OK in Brazil?

Our government is giving the Brazilian Oil Company 2 billion dollars for off-shore drilling. Is this the same government that will not permit us to drill off-shore in this country because it is environmentally evil?

Apparently, it is alright to drill off-shore for Brazil, but is not alright to drill off-shore here. Would anyone like to explain this logic?

The vast majority of Americans would like to drill for our own oil. Polls have repeatedly shown this. I, for one, am not a "not in my backyard" person. Consider how drilling for our own oil would help us and we still do have enormous supplies of oil. In some places, these wells could be pumping oil in two to three years. We would not be dependent on foreign oil. It would help our sagging economy and a great number of well-paying jobs would be created. Jobs are what this country needs most. It would improve the balance of our trade. We have made great advances in drilling techniques. We can do it in an environmentally friendly way.

We also need to drill for natural gas. This is a very clean burning fuel and our supply is vast. Let us not be hypocritical and approve drilling in other countries, but refuse to do it here.

Signed,
The Electorate

Are We Cost Effective?

A pattern is developing. The Stimulus Bill established the Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) panel. This panel was to determine what treatments and medications would be used to treat various illnesses. It would also determine who was eligible to receive these. Cost effectiveness is to be determined by dividing the cost of the treatment by the number of years the treatment would benefit the patient. Seniors will not fare well under these recommendations.

The House bill proposes a Benefits Advisory Board. This board will be comprised of 27 appointees. It will determine what coverage constitutes “acceptable” health care coverage. All insurance plans are required to meet this standard. We do not know if this refer to only minimum coverage or if it also restricts maximum coverage. The bill also does not address abortion. Previous court decisions have ruled that if abortion is not specifically excluded, it will be included.

An Independent Medicare Advisory Council (IMAC) is proposed. IMAC, a 5 member appointed board, has the authority to curtail Medicare spending and recommend broader Medicare reform. The Administration has already stated that cuts in Medicare will help fund health care reform. Seniors are again targeted.

The concept of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) is being discussed. The patient is assigned a numerical rating of 1.0 – 0.0. If treatment is not deemed, using this number, to be “cost effective”, treatmen t will be denied. This will adversely effect those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, and again seniors.

I don’t think the plug will be pulled on Granny. I think she will simply be denied treatment.

Is this what health care is really about – “cost effectiveness?

Unweildy Legislation

In the words of James Madison: "It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood."

Congress needs to pay heed to this words. Bills currently being written are routinely over one thousand pages long. They are written as obtusely as possible. This is deliberate. The writers do not want anyone, Congress included, to read or understand the bills. Much can be hidden in lengthy, convoluted bills. Representative Hoyer said the health care bill would not pass if you had to read it. Frequently, these bills are not written by our elected officials. They are written by staff, attorneys, selected "experts" and even by lobbyists. Is it too much to expect that our actual elected representatives write the bills?

Representative Waxman admitted that even he did not know all that was in the Energy Bill. He is the chairman of the committee that wrote the bill. Congress is voting on bills that they not only did not read, but on bills that they did not write. Congress is voting blindly. Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government. That is just pitiful! The people of this country deserve better representation.

Let us return to the sentiments of Madison. The body of the Constitution is only twenty pages long. It is easily understandable. I would challenge Congress to follow the example of the Constitution. Ban any legislation over one hundred pages in length and require that all legislation be written in clear, understandable language. Also pledge that you will read all bills before voting on them.

The Voice of America

In town halls and in other forums the American people are voicing their opposition to the current health care proposals. Rahm Emanuel, the White House Chief of Staff, says that this is just noise - that it doesn't matter. He is saying that the opinions of Americans are not important. This is foolish in the extreme. Congress and the President serve at our pleasure. They are responsible to us, the American people. We do not want a government take over of our health care system.

The federal government has become more and more intrusive. It is far exceeding the authorities granted to it in the Constitution. You might consider reading or rereading this document. It is beautiful in its clarity and simplicity. You might also consider reading the health care bills. They are not clear and concise. They are deliberately written obtusely. This is done to discourage reading them.

We all want health care reform, but not this reform. We want the cost of health care lowered by enacting tort reform and addressing the rampant fraud in the system. Pre-existing conditions should not exclude anyone from health care insurance. We want health care to be made available to those who want it - within the private sector.

We ask you to listen to the voice of the American people. Some politicians, in their grandiosity, say if people just understood the bills they would support them. The American people are more intelligent than these politicians think. We do not want the government to control our health care. We are watching and we will remember and vote accordingly.

Signed,
The Electorate

The People's Right To Speak

Why have the American people become the target of Washington's attacks?

The White House has set up a web site to report "fishy" correspondence that challenges their health care proposals. The White House needs an enemies list? Is this Germany in the 1930's? Report your mothers, your fathers, your neighbors. Dissension will not be tolerated. Forget that pesky First Amendment.

Nor does Congress want to face a "mob" of little old, blue haired ladies or women with children or men who have served their country. These people are dangerous. They are well dressed. Their attendance at town hall meetings is manufactured. It is not real.

If our elected officials can't recognize real, every day Americans, they have been in Washington too long. These people are upset because their elected officials have ignored them. Our representatives are trying to force a government take over of our health care system down our throats. Washington tells us this is a good plan. Anyone would be happy to have such a health care plan - except them, of course. They are so special.

We do not like this plan. We do not want this plan. I have written and explained, in detail, what is wrong with this plan and why it is wrong. I have written and explained, in detail, what health care reform is needed and why it is needed. Now I am just saying what the majority of this country is saying.

We do not want any of these plans. Washington is selling snake oil and the American people are not buying.

Signed,
The Electorate

For The People: Congressional Accountability

Ours is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people". Congress serves at the pleasure of the people and is accountable to the people. Congress needs to listen to what the American people are saying.

We do not want any of these health care plans that you are trying to force down our throats. We do not want the government to take over our health care. We object to the greater and greater intrusion of government into our lives. We have written Congress. We have called. We feel Congress is ignoring us. We are becoming very frustrated.

During the August recess, each member of Congress needs to hold as many town hall meetings as possible. They need to listen to their constituents. Beltway mentality dictates that it knows what is best for the poor dumb people. That is very arrogant. Congress needs to get back in touch with the real world. Congress needs to remember that they work for us. We hired them. It is foolish of them to ignore the American people.

Signed,
The Electorate

Blue Dog Democrats

Senator McCain recently said Blue Dog Democrats bark but they don't bite. Apparently, they are also good at rolling over and playing dead.

They come from moderate districts and ran as moderates. When legislation is proposed that they know their constituents will not support, they fuss and protest a little. Then they let someone twist their arm and convince them the legislation is really alright. After their token protests they are offered and accept special projects for the area they represent. They go home and proudly present these special offerings to their voters. It's like a cat that catches a juicy fat rat and lays it on your doorstep waiting for you to praise it. In the end though, it's still just a dead rat.

Signed,
The Electorate

Broken Promises

The President is now suggesting that another election promise be broken. The principal pledge was that "95% of Americans would not see their taxes go up even a dime". Now he and members of Congress are considering raising middle class taxes to pay for health care and to reduce the deficit. Mathematical reality has reared its ugly head. Politicians knowingly promised the impossible. This country does not need more TAXES. It needs less SPENDING.

During the last six months Congress has perpetuated a marathon of outrageous spending. You have spent money we don't have on things we don't need or even want. We have had a stimulus bill that doesn't stimulate and a spending bill that was full of pork. You have bailed out and are controlling financial institutions and auto corporations. Now you want to take over our health care and need more money. Stop trying to replace a mostly good health care system with a government run system.

Why do politicians, who ran as moderates vote as liberals? This is fundamentally dishonest. Listen to the people and truly represent them. There is life outside the beltway and it is surprising intelligent.

Signed,
The Electorate