A public, government run, option will force this country into a single payer system. This is no doubt what is intended. Private companies can not long compete with a government option. The playing field is not level. The government makes and enforces the rules and regulations. A public option is backed by the weight and power of the federal government. It is backed and subsidized by taxpayer dollars. How can any private company compete? It is like having the head coach of one team referee the big game.
The government would eventually completely control our health care and our lives. We had better be really good or big brother would be unhappy. This is all about power and control. It is not about improving the quality and affordability of our health care. The American people do not want this government take-over of our health care. We want our health care to be controlled by our doctors and ourselves.
I am asking you, my legislator, to not vote for any bill that places my health care in governmental hands.
Signed,
The Electorate
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Health Care: Eventually The Public Gets To Vote
The House Speaker wants to call the public option the consumer option. The Senate majority leaders want a public option/opt-out plan. The name is not the problem. It is the policy we don’t like. We do not want the government to run and control our health care. We want to control our own health care.
Almost every poll I see affirms that the majority of Americans do not want the public option. The Washington Post poll puzzled me until I saw that the question didn’t mention “public option” and that nearly twice as many Democrats were polled as Republicans. This caused the abnormality.
Eventually the public will get to vote on the health care issue. We just have to wait for the next elections. Then we can vote to not reelect those who supported this bill. New legislators can then vote to reverse this legislation.
Signed,
The Electorate
Almost every poll I see affirms that the majority of Americans do not want the public option. The Washington Post poll puzzled me until I saw that the question didn’t mention “public option” and that nearly twice as many Democrats were polled as Republicans. This caused the abnormality.
Eventually the public will get to vote on the health care issue. We just have to wait for the next elections. Then we can vote to not reelect those who supported this bill. New legislators can then vote to reverse this legislation.
Signed,
The Electorate
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Lower Taxes Needed
Congress needs to reconsider burdening taxpayers with more taxes. Whether they are called a tax or a fine, they are taxes. Congress wants us to further tighten our belts so that they can loosen theirs. Our belts are about as tight as they will go.
Speaker Pelosi is beginning to sound like Yogi Berra. When asked about the expiring tax cuts, she replied, “That wasn’t a tax increase. It is...eliminating a tax decrease”. For all practical purposes how does one differ from the other? Taxpayers will still pay higher taxes. This is Washington double speak.
Our backs are to the wall. Taxes need to be lowered. The taxes on small and large businesses need to be lowered. This would create more jobs. Jobs are what we desperately need.
Congress needs to extend the tax cuts and not burden taxpayers with new taxes as is proposed in new legislation such as the health care and energy bills.
Signed,
The Electorate
Speaker Pelosi is beginning to sound like Yogi Berra. When asked about the expiring tax cuts, she replied, “That wasn’t a tax increase. It is...eliminating a tax decrease”. For all practical purposes how does one differ from the other? Taxpayers will still pay higher taxes. This is Washington double speak.
Our backs are to the wall. Taxes need to be lowered. The taxes on small and large businesses need to be lowered. This would create more jobs. Jobs are what we desperately need.
Congress needs to extend the tax cuts and not burden taxpayers with new taxes as is proposed in new legislation such as the health care and energy bills.
Signed,
The Electorate
Monday, October 26, 2009
Health Care Must Be Paid For
While Congress debates what they want or don’t want in a health care bill, they are glossing over a vital issue. This bill has to be paid for. The national debt is increasing at an alarming rate. This level of spending can not be sustained. This federal spending spree has got to stop – NOW.
Congress seems to want to fund this enormous program by cutting Medicare and raising taxes. Whether or not Congress is actually willing to cut Medicare, it is irresponsible for them to propose cutting Medicare by ten percent as more and more “baby bloomers” are entering the system. Increasing taxes in a struggling economy will only deepen and prolong the recession. Ask your constituents – the recession is not over.
The costs of the health care bills are not mathematically correct. Taxes and cuts will begin in 2010. The programs will not begin until 2013 and will not be fully implemented until 2017. Basically Americans are paying for this program for ten years and receiving about five years of benefits. Ten years of the program would cost twice the estimates. Even that would be a low ball figure. Government programs always cost more than the initial estimates. Bernie Madoff would be so proud.
Health care proposals need to be cut down to the basic needs. Increase competition by allowing Americans to purchase insurance from any American based insurance company – NO cost to government. Make it illegal to refuse coverage because of a pre-existing condition – NO cost to government. Enact real tort reform – This will lower the cost of insurance at NO cost to government. Reasonably expand the eligibility for Medicaid and fund the mandates to states. This has a cost, but it is far less than the proposed trillion dollar bills.
Does Congress understand that this is a time to live within our means? Be responsible. The future of our children is at stake.
Signed,
The Electorate
Congress seems to want to fund this enormous program by cutting Medicare and raising taxes. Whether or not Congress is actually willing to cut Medicare, it is irresponsible for them to propose cutting Medicare by ten percent as more and more “baby bloomers” are entering the system. Increasing taxes in a struggling economy will only deepen and prolong the recession. Ask your constituents – the recession is not over.
The costs of the health care bills are not mathematically correct. Taxes and cuts will begin in 2010. The programs will not begin until 2013 and will not be fully implemented until 2017. Basically Americans are paying for this program for ten years and receiving about five years of benefits. Ten years of the program would cost twice the estimates. Even that would be a low ball figure. Government programs always cost more than the initial estimates. Bernie Madoff would be so proud.
Health care proposals need to be cut down to the basic needs. Increase competition by allowing Americans to purchase insurance from any American based insurance company – NO cost to government. Make it illegal to refuse coverage because of a pre-existing condition – NO cost to government. Enact real tort reform – This will lower the cost of insurance at NO cost to government. Reasonably expand the eligibility for Medicaid and fund the mandates to states. This has a cost, but it is far less than the proposed trillion dollar bills.
Does Congress understand that this is a time to live within our means? Be responsible. The future of our children is at stake.
Signed,
The Electorate
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Health Care: Opting Out
The latest health care trial balloon being floated is that states would be allowed to opt out of a federal health care public option. They would first have to prove that they were providing health care coverage to citizens of their state that met standards set by the federal government. No doubt it would be almost impossible to meet these standards – especially during the current difficult financial times. Most states are struggling to provide now existing programs.
If states did opt out, would their citizens then be exempt from the new taxes which are being proposed to fund the federal health care proposals? Would the cuts to Medicare not be applied to their state? It would be unfair to ask residents to pay for a federal public health care program that they were not receiving.
Florida has a home insurance program, Citizens. Its premiums have been traditionally higher than other private plans. Everyone knows that if a major hurricane hits Florida, Citizens could not pay its claims. State taxpayers would be responsible for the state’s shortfall. It would seem a state health care program would face the same problems.
If states did opt out, would their citizens then be exempt from the new taxes which are being proposed to fund the federal health care proposals? Would the cuts to Medicare not be applied to their state? It would be unfair to ask residents to pay for a federal public health care program that they were not receiving.
Florida has a home insurance program, Citizens. Its premiums have been traditionally higher than other private plans. Everyone knows that if a major hurricane hits Florida, Citizens could not pay its claims. State taxpayers would be responsible for the state’s shortfall. It would seem a state health care program would face the same problems.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Health Care: Public Option
Any legislator who supports the public option should take a long hard look at the public health care options we currently have. They are not good examples of efficient, high quality health care. Is a Medicare type plan what this country really wants?
Only half the doctors in this country accept Medicare, because of the low reimbursement rate. This rate is scheduled to be reduced even more in the future. Then even fewer doctors will accept it. It does not matter if you have health insurance if no one will accept it.
Medicare denies treatments at a higher rate than private insurance companies do. The government seeks to determine what treatments are “cost effective”. More treatments will be denied in the future.
Fraud is rampant in Medicare. Medicare pays for procedures for dead people. Dead doctors bill Medicare and are paid. Medical facilities are reimbursed for procedures that were never done. It is estimated that 75 billion dollars are wasted every year due to fraudulent claims. Medicare doesn’t seem to really care. After all it’s the taxpayers money not theirs. Private insurance companies lose far less to fraudulent claims.
Medicare frequently takes at least a year to reimburse doctors. This is not an efficient organization.
Medicare will be bankrupt in eight years – if not sooner. Is this the example Congress wishes to follow?
Medicare works for older people who are more apt to be sick. Ninety percent of health care costs occur in the last year of life. Private insurers don’t really want our older citizens. Medicare helps older citizen – just not very well.
Before Congress seeks to extend this type of option to the entire country, it needs to show the public that the government can run health care in an efficient and affordable manner. Solve the problems of Medicare first. Prove to the people that the government can provide high quality health care and not bankrupt the country. Then people will consider a government run option.
Signed,
The Electorate
Only half the doctors in this country accept Medicare, because of the low reimbursement rate. This rate is scheduled to be reduced even more in the future. Then even fewer doctors will accept it. It does not matter if you have health insurance if no one will accept it.
Medicare denies treatments at a higher rate than private insurance companies do. The government seeks to determine what treatments are “cost effective”. More treatments will be denied in the future.
Fraud is rampant in Medicare. Medicare pays for procedures for dead people. Dead doctors bill Medicare and are paid. Medical facilities are reimbursed for procedures that were never done. It is estimated that 75 billion dollars are wasted every year due to fraudulent claims. Medicare doesn’t seem to really care. After all it’s the taxpayers money not theirs. Private insurance companies lose far less to fraudulent claims.
Medicare frequently takes at least a year to reimburse doctors. This is not an efficient organization.
Medicare will be bankrupt in eight years – if not sooner. Is this the example Congress wishes to follow?
Medicare works for older people who are more apt to be sick. Ninety percent of health care costs occur in the last year of life. Private insurers don’t really want our older citizens. Medicare helps older citizen – just not very well.
Before Congress seeks to extend this type of option to the entire country, it needs to show the public that the government can run health care in an efficient and affordable manner. Solve the problems of Medicare first. Prove to the people that the government can provide high quality health care and not bankrupt the country. Then people will consider a government run option.
Signed,
The Electorate
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Meaningful Tort Reform Needed
Throughout the health care debate one group has been suspiciously silent – attorneys. Of course nothing has been proposed that would restrict or harm them. Could this be because so many legislators are attorneys and wish to protect their own or is it because they donate such large amounts to political campaigns?
If Congress truly seeks to contain the rising costs of health care, tort reform MUST be addressed and it must be meaningful tort reform. Frivolous laws suits need to be eliminated and doctors must be allowed to stop practicing defensive medicine. Costs will drop if unnecessary tests are no longer ordered and malpractice insurances rates are lowered. Some have suggested a study of tort reform. This is merely a way to shelf tort reform and hope it is forgotten. We do not need a study. Some states have already enacted tort reform. That is your study. In Texas malpractice law suits have decreased by over fifty percent. Frivolous law suits no longer clutter its legal system. The cost of malpractice insurance has dropped by forty-five percent. Tort reform works. Only the lawyers don’t approve.
The American Bar Association’s lobby is powerful, but Congress must stop catering to it. The welfare of American citizen should be more important to our legislators than the interests of a select, powerful few. Even with tort reform lawyers will prosper.
If Congress truly seeks to contain the rising costs of health care, tort reform MUST be addressed and it must be meaningful tort reform. Frivolous laws suits need to be eliminated and doctors must be allowed to stop practicing defensive medicine. Costs will drop if unnecessary tests are no longer ordered and malpractice insurances rates are lowered. Some have suggested a study of tort reform. This is merely a way to shelf tort reform and hope it is forgotten. We do not need a study. Some states have already enacted tort reform. That is your study. In Texas malpractice law suits have decreased by over fifty percent. Frivolous law suits no longer clutter its legal system. The cost of malpractice insurance has dropped by forty-five percent. Tort reform works. Only the lawyers don’t approve.
The American Bar Association’s lobby is powerful, but Congress must stop catering to it. The welfare of American citizen should be more important to our legislators than the interests of a select, powerful few. Even with tort reform lawyers will prosper.
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