Requiring Congress to use health plan
While I believe we need to address the needs of those with pre-existing health conditions, catastrophic costs incurred by serious and/or long-term illness, loss of benefits due to changing job conditions, etc., I do not believe we should completely overhaul our current system and have to settle for a hastily and ill-conceived plan offered by the government.
With research, perhaps meeting with insurance companies and health providers, a program could be studied and carefully implemented to address these problems without a total revamping of the system.
With their usual "tell them one thing and then later do what we want" arrogance, the Senate passed their version of a universal health plan using bribery and threats to convince their fellow Democrats to cast favorable votes in order to achieve the necessary 60 votes. The plan is strictly partisan with no Republican input and with all the "feel good" rhetoric it appears will sink us further into debt.
They say Medicare will be safe, then cut $500 billion in benefits. They claim it will eliminate another $500 billion in Medicare fraud. Why do they need a health plan to accomplish that? Devise a plan and do it now! No rationing or long delays for proper care. But how will 30 million more insured people be brought into the system to be cared for by the current number of doctors? And penalties for businesses and individuals who don't comply. Doesn't sound very American to me.
In October, I received a response to an e-mail I sent to Senator Burris. He stated the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee recommended all members Congress and their staffs enroll in a public health plan, if one is enacted, and he believes senators should have a personal stake in the proposals put upon the public.
Key word "recommended." Probably would never happen, but if it did you can bet it would be a plan we could accept.
Laws should not be put upon the American people that do not apply to Congress also. I would think that would be unconstitutional.
Paul Saam
Gurnee