Well, I did go and visit Congressman Ralph Hall's office in Sherman, Texas and delivered a letter with some points covering my support of health care reform. It was promised it would be forwarded to Washington - where all constituent comments are gathered. Evidently the 'Republican Plan' really does exist, but what I was told was that 'it doesn't see the light of day until the House agrees to accept it and read it, and they've refused to do that.' Really? Is that how it works?
My husband and I support the President’s goal of reforming health care and guaranteeing health insurance.
It is time to discuss the real questions and concerns about the current health care reform bill and stop spreading myths and misinformation.
There are many myths out there. This particular one Congressman Hall evidently buys into. According to Republican Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, the Democrats’ plan “will deprive 120 million Americans of their current health care coverage.”
The 120 million number Pence cites comes from the Lewin Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of insurance giant UnitedHealthCare, which based its numbers on several public-option scenarios that are dramatically different than what Democrats have proposed. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 11 million - NOT 120 million-Americans will end up voluntarily enrolling in the public option, and none of them will be "deprived" of coverage.
Congressman Hall also needs to help put a stop to the fear-mongering nonsense that some of his Republican colleagues are dreaming up. Two examples on one topic: his friend and Republican colleague, House Minority Leader John Boehner claims the House healthcare reform bill "may start us down a treacherous path toward government-encouraged euthanasia." And his colleague Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina said the current proposed plan “will put seniors in a position of being put to death by their Government.”
Irresponsible, cruel fear mongering and nonsense. And positively medieval!
The Bill introduced in the House (H.R. 3200) in fact ensures medical professionals who offer end-of-life counseling at the patient's request are reimbursed for their time, just as they would be for other types of counseling or medical services. It is not so that ‘Advance Care Planning Consultation’ which includes discussing topics like living wills and orders of life-sustaining treatment and Hospice, with a medical professional of your choice, leads to euthanasia. Sec. 1233 of the Bill outlines what is proposed quite clearly. Stop the nonsense.
It is time for solid facts and real leadership.