Tax reform law will damage health care

I would like to add a followup to Reid McCollum's letter regarding the Roskam tax plan, one of many excellent letters published on July 2.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act essentially removed the individual mandate to buy health insurance. As a result, Texas and many other states argue in a lawsuit that the entire ACA should be invalidated. The Department of Justice affirmed this interpretation of the law, potentially resulting in the elimination of protections for pre-existing conditions.

A long-standing goal for the GOP has been the repeal of Obamacare. That law, while certainly falling short in many aspects, provides many important consumer protections. The safeguard for Americans with pre-existing conditions is arguably one of the most popular components of the ACA. Roskam's tax plan helps to jeopardize this.

Mr. McCollum's letter clearly states the law's lack of economic impact for the vast majority of us. It also imperils health care protections that are vital for so many.

Peter Roskam touts the tax cut as a major accomplishment. It may be for his large donors, but it is not for those he's supposed to represent.

He needs to go.

John Perryman

St. Charles