Senator Patty Murray of Washington State is holding one-on-one meetings with constituents this week. Unfortunately, I can't get there, but I've written this instead. It's my strong feeling that if our legislators hear real stories from real people, it will give them more ammunition and conviction to pass a bill that's more than a band-aid. My letter is below the fold.
Dear Senator Murray,
I’m writing to you concerning health care reform legislation. I had hoped to sign up to meet with you face-to-face this week, but I’m scheduled for oral surgery, I live two hours from your nearest office, and there’s so much to do in advance of the surgery that I’ve run out of time.
I’m paying for this surgery out of pocket because the premiums for dental coverage are more than I can afford. I’ve been self-employed since 1982, so I don’t have the same safety net as someone who could collect unemployment, for awhile at least, following a lay-off. I’m out here on my own. I’m not complaining, but simply acknowledging that this does present its challenges.
One reason I can’t afford dental insurance is the cost of my regular health insurance. I have a $2700 deductible to keep premiums down. Over the past year, my premium has risen by 23%. The so-called choice that my insurance company offered to me was to switch to a plan with a 50% higher co-pay, the same high deductible, and “only” a 9% premium increase. Since I live in a rural area, I'm limited in the number of companies that offer coverage here, and this company is the best of that bunch.
President Obama is absolutely correct that we need a robust public option to provide the necessary competition to, among other things, slow down these premium increases. Without this, in my opinion, health care reform will just be a band-aid that will not address all of the skyrocketing health care costs that are going to break this economy. Frankly, I’d like to see the next step, single payer, but it looks as if that isn’t going to happen in this round.
Furthermore, there should be no behind-the-scenes deal struck with the pharmaceutical industry that prohibits negotiating down the cost of drugs. I'm sure you're fully aware of Washingtonians who cross into Canada to fill their prescriptions because the exact same drugs are so much less expensive there. I’m fortunate that I don’t need prescription drugs, but I have a friend with fibromyalgia, CFS and other issues who often has to choose whether to cut her dosage or cut back on other essentials. This simply is not right.
The insurance industry has its collective foot on the necks of every man, woman, and child in America. People are suffering when bean-counters interject themselves into the discussion between doctors and patients about what constitutes appropriate treatment. They are suffering financially with high premiums and deductibles. They are suffering psychologically by never knowing when they might have their coverage dropped without reason, or because they’re afraid to change jobs and lose coverage for their families. They’re suffering by being priced out of coverage and having to go to overcrowded, expensive hospital emergency rooms for help.
There’s a reason that private insurance companies are shoveling out $1.4 million a day to defeat meaningful reform with a public option. They see their profits eroding. What’s truly insulting is that this is money from people paying premiums for decent medical care or "savings" from their being denied treatment. Our money is being used to against us. This is just plain wrong.
Please support real health care reform with a robust public option. Please don’t let this legislation get watered down by the red herring of “bi-partisanship”. We need protection from the rapaciousness of these companies.
Thanks for taking the time to read my letter and for meeting personally with your constituents.
Very truly yours,
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
NOTE:
If you can't go to a town hall meeting or schedule a one-on-one meeting with your congressperson, please write or phone. When I called my congressman, Representative Norm Dicks, it was clear that his staffer appreciated a call supporting Congressman Dicks' work to get a decent health care bill through. They need to hear from us.