Firing back at Roskam on health care

Firing back at Roskam on health care

Peter Roskam has stated his commitment to repealing the health care reform act because: 1. it creates massive new taxes, 2. it will push health care costs up and 3. families who want to keep their current medical coverage will not be able to do so.

Item 1 — Where are the massive new taxes going to appear with the enactment of the law? Which taxes was Representative Roskam referring to — those paid by the wealthy or those paid by the poor? Under the act, millions of Americans will be eligible for tax credits to make sure their purchase of health care insurance is affordable.

Item 2 — The Illinois Insurance Commissioner is powerless to approve rate levels for health care insurance. In 2009, health insurers increased rates by as much as 60 percent and no one could stop them. Under the new health care act, the commissioner will legally be able to stop them.

Item 3 — Currently, a policyholder risks losing coverage if he or she files a claim within two years of the start of coverage. The policy can be rescinded if that claim would have resulted in denial of the application, exclusion of a pre-existing condition, or a higher premium.

Illinois leads the nation in the number of policy rescissions. The reform act will prohibit policy rescission except for instances of policyholder fraud. One of the big expenses that unemployed people most often drop is health insurance. When and if these people go back to work, or get access to affordable health care, the reform act will ensure they not be barred from coverage for their diabetes or their heart condition. Pre-existing condition exclusions will finally be against the law.

Leslie Coolidge is the alternative to Peter Roskam and she will get my vote.

Lesley Malik

Winfield