BlueBroward.org

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.