Here is a letter that someone in my business sent to her Senator regarding the Health Care Bills in Congress.  I liked it so much - I thought it belonged on this blog today.

Dear Senator Specter:

 

I am writing to you regarding HR 3200.  It would be ill-advised to rush such sweeping legislation through Congress before many vital questions are answered. Slogans like “All Americans deserve to have health insurance” are for the campaign trail, but carry no weight now because they lack specifics. First of all, what is the “crisis” that you’re talking about? If you are referring to people getting healthcare who don’t have insurance, we already have that-it’s called Medicaid.  How can a comprehensive plan possibly be developed after only 6 months in a new administration?  

 

I am suspicious of any bill that a President tries to ramrod through Congress just before a recess.  I want clear, comprehensive answers to my questions so I can make an informed decision.  The authors of these bills owe their constituents that much.  I want to know why this new insurance would not allow private insurance to carry on if any change is made, even to a deductible.  I want to know how Medicare will crossover to such a plan.  I want to know what this plan will cover. I want to know what this plan will not cover.  I want to know how states will participate in this new plan.  I want to know exactly where the average working person will save money, and where they will pay more.  I want to know who will be hurt by this plan.  I want to know what the exact price will be for premiums, and what providers will be paid.  I want to know how we would be able to revert if this new plan proved unworkable. I want to know why Congress exempted themselves and their families from this new plan.

 

I am a medical coder-biller and the current system does not need to be tossed overboard.  Doctors already treat patients who cannot pay. There are other patients who simply refuse to pay, even their co-pays or deductibles.  There’s a difference between the two, but the answer is not in making healthcare free for everyone.  Why not fix the parts that need fixing and let the rest of the system continue to function as intended?

 

 If doctors cannot make a living, and even (dare I say it?) a profit practicing medicine they will stop.  President Obama expects physicians to accept capitated payments for services, yet does not support any limit on jury malpractice awards. That is worse than illogical. Medical expenses incurred due to medical error or malpractice should be 100% reimbursed.  I object to the punitive awards.  It’s “free money”.  When Louisiana did away with punitive damages, lawsuits dropped by 45%.  It makes clear what the average person is doing when they sue.  In a shameful example, Philadelphia was forced to put video cameras on all city buses and trolleys to keep people from getting ON them AFTER they’ve crashed.  How much money could we save by stopping those cheating freeloaders? Or is it okay for them to cheat because they’re “poor”?  Please define “poor”.

 

I’d also like to talk about drug companies.  Everyone criticizes them for disallowing generics for the first seven years.  Do people know what it costs to bring a new drug to market? Do they realize that years of R&D are needed to find the next promising idea?  Do they believe that a few fat old men own all drug companies, or do they know that the companies are owned by shareholders like us?  We expect a financial return on our investment, too, not a covered casserole. Everyday I get emails telling me I can sue a drug company if I’ve even had a side effect from a medicine.  This insanity continues because people have nothing to lose by suing.

 

 When opportunity is available to all, as it is today, every person is responsible for taking advantage of that opportunity.  If they do not, don’t ask us who did, to pay their way now.  I am tired of the whining few who insist that anything bad that happens to them is somehow my fault.  We all make choices and must live with the consequences of those choices.

 

We have the finest medical care in the world and that’s because we enjoy the benefits of free enterprise.  A government that controls everything in society is called Socialism.  It doesn’t work; ask the Russians.

 

Today’s political climate vilifies people with money.  Anyone with ill-gotten gains is everyone’s enemy, but those who have earned their fortunes by hard work are heroes and shining examples of the American Dream.

 

Medical Coders are taught to sift through every sentence in a report, find the true measures and report them to the highest degree of specificity.  Our elected officials owe us no less now in this serious matter.

 

Most people base their vote on the merit of an issue or a candidate. Don’t underestimate us. We don’t all believe what ABC, and CNN tell us to believe.  America didn’t get as far as it has with stupid people at the helm.  

 

I cannot imagine the elderly, who worked and made this country great being treated according to a government formula that decides how long they are entitled to live.  That is criminal.

 

Insurance and Healthcare are businesses and must be treated as such.  Everyone should win here, and no one should have absolute power, especially the federal government.

 

If the insurance companies unfairly deny coverage, punish them.  If they refuse to meet with drug manufacturers to negotiate formulary prices for brand name medicines they should be fined. Drug companies deserve to make a profit, as well as insurance companies and physicians, and I want people to continue to have access to the best medical care in the world. Don’t throw the working parts of our system out to adopt something that is likely to be total chaos.

 

Represent us, not just your own interests.  I doubt you will read this; I don’t think you care about my opinion; but you should.

 

 

Kathleen Ann Taras

5677 State Park Road

Pipersville, PA  18947

Now - if we could get people in every state writing their own Senators - perhaps we could make a difference.