An Open Letter to my Congress People, Part One

Friday, July 7, 2017

Dear Senators Bennet and Gardner, and Representative Buck, 

I am writing today to express my support for "Medicare for All" type health care initiative. 

The Republican plan to replace the ACA is a fiasco, skyrocketing premiums for many Americans, throwing others off the health insurance rolls, and offering less care for more money. Less than one fifth of Americans approve of this plan, and I think it's time for Congressional Republicans to admit it's time to go back to the drawing board. 

And the plan that should be drawn is a Medicare style single payer plan. When comparing other single payer plans to the United States, they spend less money for better care. From my point of view this pretty much torpedoes the complaint that it would cost too much. The only issue is WHO will pay. And the answer should be all of us, on a sliding scale. People who want and can afford supplemental plans should be able to buy them, but EVERYONE should get basic care, and pay the taxes to support it. 

I'm cognizant of what this would do to for profit health insurance companies in this country, so I suggest a phased approach, just like Republicans suggested for people on Medicaid. If it's fine for your constituents, then it should be fine for corporations, right? 

We're the only first world country in the world that doesn't offer a variation of this plan. What does that say about our values? I know many Republicans think it makes a statement about self-reliance and independence, but here in the real world, it makes a statement about priorities. As in, American politicians prioritize companies that contribute to their re-election campaigns over their constituents. History will not look kindly on these "priorities," and if a comprehensive health care plan isn't maintained, I'm really, really hoping that Coloradans look unkindly on our Congress people, too. 

Please, do what is right, not what is expedient or what the Party and the corporations tell you to do. Kill the Republican health care plan and work together to bring forth a plan that helps actual people. 


Signed,

Janiece

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