BlueBroward.org

This is from Bruce Jay, a great volunteer whom I’ve worked with on the FairDistrictsFlorida.org petition drive. I thought he expressed this well and asked permission to share it.

Dear friends,

I just got a call from the Sun-Sentinel saying that they are considering publication of my letter to the editor whose text is reproduced below. I will also be sending this to my Congressional Representatives. Don’t you think that this is the moment that your views and experiences should be heard?

TEXT of my Letter to the Editor:

Top Republicans are using inaccurate and provocative sound bites to promote a do nothing effort to preserve our failed health system. If they were so much against a government health system, then why not give up on their own. I spend many frustrating hours every week attempting to assist my wife with her PRIVATE health insurance claims, co-pays and overcharges. My Medicare doesn’t give me any of these hassles. What does the opposition to President Obama’s healthcare initiative really want? Playing politics with the lives of so many under and uninsured and the frustrations and uncertainties of the rest of us is shameful.

I am shocked at the tone of the current debate considering the experience that I and so many others have with the current healthcare system. Making this a political Waterloo is not what we need. It is truly shameful coming from the mouths of the privileged.

Best wishes,

Bruce

The response letter from Senator Nelson that’s posted is an out of date form response. I received the same one over 2 months ago. When I met with Michelle McGovern (his regional director) in June, I asked about Nelson’s support of the theory of an “insurance exchange” and she said he was no longer supporting that; now he’s supporting the state “co-op” idea. (see my earlier posts for info on state “co-ops”)

Apparently Nelson can’t be bothered to have a staffer type up a form response that reflects his current posistion.

As for Martinez’s response, that letter is old, too… but he hasn’t changed his posistion. No reason to. He’s going to need a cushy place to land in 2010 when he steps down.

Have a nice afternoon everyone!

Tracie

Here is the reply I got from my message urging Sen. Nelson to support true reform. It doesn’t really address the issue of the public option directly, but at least shows he recognizes something needs to change.

Send him your own message at: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email

Dear Mr. Carr:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the health care reform process. Anyone who has battled a major illness knows the system is broken, and we can no longer wait to fix it.

The health care industry is massive and complex, and there are a range of ideas on the table for reforming it. Chief among our aims must be to rein in the out-of-control costs of care. This means a new emphasis on wellness and prevention, a recommitment to researching innovative, more effective treatments for diseases, and additional efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs. I introduced the Medicare Prescription Drug Gap Reduction Act (S.266) to reduce the large gap known as the “doughnut hole” that occurs when Part D beneficiaries who have paid pay $2,700 in prescription expenses receive no further benefit until they have racked up a total of $4,350 in out-of-pocket expenses, despite the fact that they never stop paying premiums.

Equally important is the issue of the uninsured. Nearly 50 million Americans lack adequate health insurance, and that is unacceptable. I am working toward reforms that would make health insurance available to all Americans through an insurance exchange and would provide subsidies to those who cannot afford coverage. I also believe that Americans should never be denied health insurance or charged exorbitant fees because of a pre-existing condition.

Finally, we must ensure that there are enough health care providers in America and that they are adequately reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid so they can continue providing care to those most in need. I introduced S. 973, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007, to address this growing problem. This legislation would expand the number of Medicare-supported physician residency training positions, with an emphasis on funding new primary care residency slots. The number of physician residents eligible for reimbursement has not been altered to reflect changing demand since 1996. I have also fought consistently for fair Medicare reimbursement rates.

The task before us is immense, but Americans will rise to the challenge. I will be sure to take your views into consideration as the debate progresses. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.

Sincerely,
Senator Bill Nelson

I give him credit for at least responding, when I wrote to urge him to cross party lines and vote for true reform. That’s actually more than Sen. Nelson has done. Maybe if enough people write Martinez, he will see the light by the time this comes up for a vote in the Senate.

Dear Mr. Carr:

Thank you for contacting me regarding health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond.

There are an estimated 45 million Americans without health insurance – a number that has been consistently rising since 1989. This means that one in seven Americans, and one in five under the age of 65 in Florida, is uninsured. The fact that 15 percent of Americans live without health insurance is a staggering state of affairs, especially since we live in a country that leads the world in advanced medical procedures and technology.

Recent health reform discussions have proposed the idea of creating a new government-run public health insurance plan similar to that of Medicare or Medicaid. Independent studies show that 118 million Americans could lose their current health care coverage, and 130 million Americans could end up on a government run health insurance plan if the government sets payment rates at Medicare rates. This runs counter to the President’s promise of allowing Americans who like their health insurance to keep their current policy. I do not believe the solution to this problem can be found by expanding already overextended government programs. Instead we need to promote real competition among private plans to make them demonstrate effectiveness, and compete on quality and cost. Also, an emphasis needs to be placed on promoting wellness and financial incentives for healthy behaviors such as losing weight, and quitting smoking.

There is broad agreement on both sides of the aisle that our current health care system is in need of reform. We need to take action aimed at making the system more affordable, improving the quality of care, and expanding access to all Americans. Americans want a health care system that supports innovation, puts patients and doctors at the center of health care decisions, and allows patients to choose the healthcare plan that best suits their needs.

Thank you for sharing your thoughtful comments with me. If you have any additional questions or comments, please contact me. For more information about issues and activities important to Florida, I invite you to sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Mel Martinez
United States Senator

I was slow to getting around to writing this, but here is what I came up with.

Senator Nelson,

I am writing as a father and small businessman who wants to see real significant reform of our health care system this year. I know the system is broken, and it’s more than a little bit broken. The reform that passes Congress needs to be more than an incremental change in our current system.

When I lost my job at the start of 2008, I decided it was time to go into business on my own. One of the main things that had always held me back from taking this step was fear of the challenge of obtaining and paying for health insurance. Unfortunately, I found that fear to be justified. We went through months of tense negotiations trying to secure care despite some “pre-existing conditions” issues with a couple of my children. And since obtaining insurance, we’ve had our rates raised several times. It seems insurance companies want to collect their money without having to deliver service for anyone who actually gets sick.

I know you have expressed concerns about the public plan President Obama has proposed. Personally, I do not see this as the first step toward single payer government run system. Nor do I necessarily support such a system. I think having a public plan that puts pressure on the insurance companies to provide better service, at more affordable rates, strikes the right balance between preserving the strengths of our current system and changing it in a meaningful way.

I don’t believe some of the alternatives being thrown around for some sort of co-ops would have the same effect.

I can’t stand to see this chance slip away. I have fought too many battles trying to secure health insurance for my family and climbing mountains of paperwork to get the insurer to actually pay claims. And my insurer, Blue Cross, is supposed to be one of the better ones.

I believe the burden of health insurance as it exists today is a drag on our economy because it discourages so many people from going into business as sole proprietors or small businesses, knowing that the deck is stacked in favor of large group plans. Giving those entrepreneurs the option of buying in a public plan will unlock real growth and energy.

Please consider your position carefully and cast your vote for real, meaningful health care reform.

I’ve been working with this organization in its website and just learned that it has lost a key state grant. This cut in funding is coming just at the time when its services are needed most by people (particularly women) who have lost their jobs and need help getting back on their feet. Please consider making a donation if you can do so.

Learn more at http://www.positiveimagesflorida.com/