Posted on 11/19/2009 12:40:30 PM PST by texrepub76
Thank you for contacting me to express your views on H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. I appreciate your taking the time to share your views on this important matter.
There is widespread agreement that our health care system needs to be reformed - all of the major Republican and Democratic candidates for President in the 2008 election agreed that serious action needed to be taken immediately. So drawing on expert testimony received during 100 congressional hearings and scrutiny and feedback from the American people at more than 3,000 congressional events and town halls, H.R. 3962 seeks to lower costs and provide secure access to quality, affordable health care to Americans. And, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), H.R. 3962 does this without adding to the federal deficit.
H.R. 3962 contains significant insurance reforms to help the vast majority of Americans who have health insurance. It would eliminate coverage exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Insurers would be prevented from rescinding or dropping coverage when a person gets sick or injured. The bill would offer families protection from medical bankruptcy by placing a limit on yearly out-of-pocket costs. It would also prevent companies from placing arbitrary lifetime limits on the amount they're willing to pay for care. H.R. 3962 also would require annual review and disclosure of insurance company consumer rate increases.
Quality health insurance coverage would be more affordable and accessible under this legislation. The bill would eliminate co-pays for preventive services, including mammograms and screenings. It would expand coverage for young adults, enabling them to be covered under their parents' plan until their 27th birthday if a family so chooses. In addition, under H.R. 3962, consumers would also be able to maintain their COBRA coverage until the Health Insurance Exchange marketplace is activated in 2013 or until they have a new option for health coverage.
H.R. 3962 creates a health insurance exchange marketplace which would allow small business and individuals without coverage access to large group rates by cutting administrative costs. Plans would be required to explain their coverage in plain language and consumers will better be able to compare plans with standardized, tiered benefit packages. Affordability credits will be available to individuals and families on a sliding scale to assist in the purchase of a health plan on the exchange. These affordability credits would be available to approximately 107,000 households in the Fifth District. Two-year tax credits would also be available to small businesses to help them cover the cost of providing coverage. These tax credits will help reduce the cost of insurance for an estimated 12,100 small businesses in Maryland's Fifth District.
Seniors also benefit from H.R. 3962 because it extends the solvency of the Medicare program and strengthens Medicare benefits, allowing more services to be covered under the program while eliminating co-pays for preventive services. H.R. 3962 also closes the Medicare Part D "donut hole" over time and institutes a 50 percent discount for brand-name drugs in the donut hole starting in 2010. It also makes prescriptions more affordable for seniors, by allowing the Health and Human Services Secretary the authority to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, H.R. 3962 contains over 30 new tools to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
H.R. 3962 would also make significant investments in our public health infrastructure and workforce by funding the expansion of primary care and dental training programs and increasing scholarship and loan programs for nurses, primary care doctors, physician assistants and other public health workers.
While this is not a perfect bill, H.R. 3962 represents an important step forward in the effort to rein in the cost of health care while improving coverage for our nation's citizens. H.R. 3962 takes into account and seeks to address many of the strong views held by citizens across the country that participated in town hall meetings or contacted their Members of Congress.
For instance, H.R. 3962 does not contribute to the deficit. It is fully paid for and is projected to reduce the deficit by $109 billion over the first ten years alone. Roughly half the cost of H.R. 3962 is paid for by targeting waste, fraud, and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid. The remainder is funded through a surcharge on a portion of the income of the wealthiest 0.3% of American households - those families making more than $1,000,000 a year.
In addition, the public health insurance option offered under H.R. 3962 is just that - a voluntary option. The public option would be an insurance plan operating alongside private insurance plans within a health insurance exchange marketplace. It is not an entitlement program and it is funded via the premiums paid by citizens who chose the public option. H.R. 3962 includes language explicitly prohibiting the public option from ever being bailed out by the Federal government.
With regard to undocumented immigrants, H.R. 3962 is clear in denying individuals who do not meet citizenship verification requirements access to federal payments or tax credits. Verification procedures are written into the bill beginning on page 235. Furthermore, the bill also includes a provision continuing existing prohibitions against federal Medicaid and CHIP money going toward individuals not lawfully present in the United States.
Many have also expressed concerns about the use of federal dollars paying for abortions under H.R. 3962. During consideration, the House adopted an amendment offered by Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan barring the public option or any private health plans that receive federal dollars from covering abortion procedures except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is threatened.
Concerning medical malpractice, Section 2531 of H.R. 3962 provides grants to states to incentivize development and implementation of "certificate of merit" or "early offer" medical liability alternatives to traditional medical malpractice litigation. This will make liability insurance more affordable, encourage the disclosure of health errors, and ensure prompt and fair malpractice resolutions.
Finally, Section 309 of H.R. 3962 would allow for the creation of interstate health insurance compacts, while ensuring consumer protections are not compromised. Two or more states could enter into agreements to permit the sale of insurance across state lines. The bill would preserve the authority of a consumer's state to regulate and oversee the health insurance plan, just as they currently do, even if that insurance plan was based out of another partnering state.
H.R. 3962 was passed by the House of Representatives with my support by a vote of 220 to 215 on November 7, 2009. The Senate is expected to consider its version of health insurance reform legislation over the coming weeks. Both bills must then be reconciled before a final agreement can be voted upon and sent to the President.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. To stay informed, visit my Health Care Reform Clearinghouse website at www.majorityleader.gov/members/health_care.cfm. While there, you can sign up to receive The Daily Dose, my health care reform update. I also encourage you to visit my Fifth District web site at http://hoyer.house.gov. While there, you can sign up for the Hoyer Herald, access my voting record, and get information about important public issues. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
With kindest regards, I am
Sincerely yours,
Steny H. Hoyer
misp in last post - *believes
Lie after lie after lie - going by like an endless train of boxcars attached in a train heading down the tracks to hell.
I just got the same thing from my congressman Blumeneauer. He of course didn’t answer any of my complaints...just basically told me that he knows what’s best and to shut up.
They make me sick. It’s one thing for them to throw away our money and another thing entirely to get between me and my doctor. I’m livid at these arrogant fools.
Here is what I got...
Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts about health care reform.
The debate over health insurance is not just about people currently without coverage. It’s also about small business owners and their employees. It’s about the individuals who are losing their jobs (and health insurance) due to the ongoing recession, as well as people approaching the age for Medicare eligibility who want to make sure this popular, government run health insurance program is still around when they retire.
Health care costs are spiraling out of control. This year, every insured American family will pay $1,017 in insurance premiums just to cover the emergency medical expenses of the uninsured. This “hidden health care tax,” which totals approximately $42 billion annually, subsidizes the uncompensated health care costs of the uninsured and is a growing burden on the system as a whole.
Without reform, the cost of health care for the average family of four is projected to rise $1,800 every year for years to come. Worse still, insurance companies will be increasingly responsible for health care decisions, limiting individuals’ ability to make decisions about what care they receive. According to a recent study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, more than 45,000 Americans die every year due to lack of access to affordable healthcare. Without reform, this figure will only increase.
America’s middle class deserves better. America’s families need affordable, stable health care coverage that can’t be taken away from them and that is why I was proud to join my colleagues in passing HR 3629, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Here’s what the Affordable Health Care for America Act means to you:
LOWER COSTS
.No more co-pays or deductibles for preventive care
.No more rate increases for pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation
.An annual cap on your out-of-pocket expenses
.Group rates of a national plan if you buy your own insurance
.Guaranteed and affordable dental, hearing, and vision care for your children
.No more “donut hole” for seniors
.Negotiated drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries
.Expanded Medicaid subsidies to increase affordability
GREATER CHOICE
.Keep your doctor and your current plan, if you like them
.More options, with a high quality public health insurance option competing with private insurers in a transparent, regulated marketplace
.Ends the loophole exempting health insurance companies from current anti-trust laws
.Allows for the sale of insurance plans across state lines if states agree
HIGHER QUALITY
.You and your doctors make health care decisions ?” not insurance companies
.More family doctors and nurses entering the workforce, helping guarantee access
.Mental health care must be covered
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Reduces the deficit by $103 billion over ten years
Ends unfair Medicare payment system that penalizes states like Oregon
Creates new system to reward quality and efficiency
STABILITY & PEACE OF MIND
.No more coverage denials for pre-existing conditions
.Increased coverage means 96% of Americans will have health insurance
.No more lifetime limits on how much insurance companies will pay
.No reason to ever again make a job or life decision based on the fear of losing health care coverage
You can read the entire bill and summaries of each of the sections on my website, www.blumenauer.house.gov.
There are a lot of myths and outright lies about health care reform still being spread by people who want to keep the status quo. While it’s important to have an honest debate about how much government should be involved, how we get the best value for our dollar, and what regulations are put in place to make sure the insurance companies don’t end up gouging the American taxpayer, we need to reject the divisive tactics and rhetoric from those who have no interest in making our country healthier.
On that note, I want to take this opportunity to address some concerns I’ve heard and clear up some misconceptions regarding HR 3269:
.This bill does NOT raise taxes on low and middle-class families. A small surtax on millionaires will cover most of the cost of health insurance reform. Furthermore, this increase will not occur during a recession, but is set to be implemented in 2011, long after economists predict the recession will end.
.This bill does NOT cover anyone who resides in this country illegally. H.R. 3269 specifically forbids federal dollars from going towards health insurance for undocumented workers.
.This bill does NOT create “death panels” or euthanize our senior citizens. The Affordable Healthcare for America Act simply allows Medicare to reimburse health professionals for a voluntary conversation about end-of-life decisions between a patient and a doctor, at the patient’s behest. Like all Medicare benefits, this is a voluntary benefit! If patients don’t want to discuss their health care wishes, they don’t have to.
.This bill does NOT use taxpayer money to fund abortions. HR 3269 prohibits federal funds for abortion services in the public option. It also prohibits individuals who receive affordability credits from purchasing a plan that provides elective abortions. This bill also maintains federal conscience protection laws and does not supersede state laws restricting abortion.
.This bill does NOT exempt Members of Congress and other government employees from following the same guidelines as everybody else. Any health care plan used by a federal employee or elected official will be subject to the same reforms as all other private plans.
.This bill does NOT cut Medicare coverage. This bill does include Medicare reforms designed to lower costs and increase efficiency, but NOT at the expense of caring for enrollees.
.This bill does NOT abolish the private health insurance system in this country. Under the bill, patients would be able to keep their private insurance, and there would be no mandate to switch plans or join the public insurance option. This bill is all about giving people options and letting them choose the type of care that best works for them.
Since the start of this debate, opponents of reform have repeatedly claimed that the process has not been transparent, or that it has been rushed and the details of the proposed bill are not well understood. These claims are not true. Since 2007, the House has held 100 hearings on health care, and this year alone we have held close to 3,000 health care events in our districts. Three House committees have spent 160 hours in public hearings and markups of health care legislation, and much of HR 3269 has now been available for public review and comment for more than three months. The full text of the bill was available for Members of Congress, the media and all citizens to read and consider long before the vote
Thank you again for your interest and involvement. I hope you will continue to be engaged in this debate in the coming months. I encourage you to visit my website (www.blumenauer.house.gov) for more information about the Affordable Health Care for America Act and health insurance reform in general.
Sincerely,
Earl Blumenauer
Member of Congress
“A small surtax on millionaires” - oh ok!! thats makes it all better now, how dare they beocme successful!!! I’m sure there is a clause somewhere that actually reads “A small surtax on millionaires, excluding those currently or destined to serve in Congress”...
I got similar load of BS from my Congressman, the Feckless D Price, NC District 4.
I’m still awaiting his reply to my questioning his claim that bill is “self-financing” and shaving #30B from Deficit.
Seems odd we’re preparing to spend $1.2T to save $30B => guess we’re making it up on volume ; - )
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) says Obama is "bowing down" to Republicans. He said he is "getting tired of saving Obama's can in the White House."
LOL. Low margin high volume. Brilliant strategery by the libtards.
In the 4th district we'll probably remain stuck with Soviet operative Defazio. On the Republican side we have a popular RINO mayor who is being preemptively hammered by the Democrats on alleged campaign finance irregularities, and an unknown woman from Roseburg who is a solid conservative and constitutionalist but not an especially good public speaker. I like her and if nobody else emerges I would vote for her over the RINO, but she's not going to appeal to the oh-so modern and sophisticated that inhabit this neck of the woods.
They really don’t care what we think. They think they are so much smarter than us.
There are other ways to fix this without the government telling everyone what to do.
And, seriously, if the govt wants to help, why don’t they provide a govt healthcare insurance only for those who can’t afford it otherwise. Let those people join if they want. BUT, the govt will have to give up certain pet projects that equal the cost of that insurance so that the net affect to the budget is ZERO!
It would be a lot cheaper than forcing us to pay for every one. If you haven’t been watching Glenn Beck, do so. He is breaking it all down. They are finding a small fraction of the taxes embedded in it.
It was the same when THEY/GOVT thought they were going to get people to stop smoking by punishing the tobacco companies. Instead of regulating the ingredients in cigs, as they do with almost everything,they penalized the companies. But, the cigs still contain substances that are not good for us. See how the govt fixes things?
Time for ANOTHER CHANGE
You must try to explain to Dem voters why this is not a good thing.
Scroll down and look on the right at how many oppose or have fears on the government's involvement in our healthcare.
Yet, listening to MSM you would think 99% are in favor and we 1% are not.
Form letter full of Dem talking points, hon......hugs to ya
I just wrote Mikulski and Cardin, for all the good it’s going to do.
These people are betraying their country. There is no other way to put it. They took an oath to protect the Constitution. They are betraying that oath.
I wonder if that same form letter is being distributed to all Rat congressvermin? I am still waiting for a response to my last message to my own rat-dog. If it ever comes, I’m sure the same BS will be there, regardless of how it’s worded.
November 20, 2009
Dear Friend,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts and opinions. Since taking office, I have received an overwhelming number of calls and emails from North Carolinians like you who are ready to take an active part in our government. I appreciate each and every call and email. With our country facing some of its toughest challenges in a generation, your phone calls and messages are an important factor guiding my work here in Washington. Please be assured that we will get back to you as soon as possible regarding your specific concern.
I would like to take this opportunity to share my website with you. Please visit http://Hagan.Senate.Gov to find contact information for my offices and to stay updated as my new state offices open. You can also find information there about what I've been doing in North Carolina and Washington. It is an honor to serve as your United States Senator and I sincerely hope you will not hesitate to contact me at any time to share your concerns and voice your opinions on our country's most pressing issues.
Sincerely,
Kay R. Hagan
United States Senator, North Carolina
Please do not reply to this email. Instead, if you have further questions, please visit www.hagan.senate.gov and fill out my web form for your inquiry. Thank you.
Steny——oral bowl cleanser.
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