My Reps position on Health Care: Brad Ellsworth(House Rep.)

[and-justice-for-all]

Thank you for contacting me to voice your opinions on health care reform. I appreciate your comments, and I welcome this opportunity to share my thoughts.

While the medical care provided by American doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals is the envy of the world, too often the skyrocketing cost of health insurance stands between working Americans and the state of the art care they deserve. In fact, over the past decade, the cost of an average family health plan has more than doubled, leaving many American families under-insured and others with no health insurance of any kind. Federal and state programs like Medicare and Medicaid provide access to health coverage for seniors and other groups, but they can't begin to address the growing need for help. That means tens of millions of struggling middle class Americans are being forced to live in constant fear of losing their home or going bankrupt if a family member gets sick. As these Americans delay essential care and try to get by without necessary medications, they get increasingly unhealthy-increasing the costs for everyone in the end.

As you may know, health care costs for employers have also skyrocketed since 2000, forcing many small businesses to shift the growing cost of their insurance programs to their employees or eliminating their health plans altogether. Even after shifting away some of these increased costs, American businesses are forced to spend more per hour on health care than their competitors in other advanced countries-making American products and services less competitive. That's one reason why America's 27 million small business owners cite rising health insurance costs as their number one concern-above fuel costs, taxes, and the economy.

Under the status quo, these problems are getting worse instead of better. Since the beginning of the current recession in late 2007, an additional 2.4 million workers and their families have lost health coverage due to layoffs and benefit cuts. Meanwhile, 87 million Americans were without health insurance for all or part of 2007 or 2008. When these uninsured Americans end up in emergency clinics and the hospital, everyone's costs go up. In fact, family health insurance premiums cost $1,100 more per year just to compensate for care provided to folks without health care coverage.

That's why Hoosiers like you have asked me to focus my efforts on solving the problem, and that's what I plan to work toward this year. Fortunately, the American people sent a message to Washington in the last election that they want to see real change in the way the system works. I look forward to working in Congress to make the serious reforms that will ensure every single American has access to quality health care. That means preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to a cancer patient who recently lost his job. That means leaving health care decisions in the hands of doctors and patients. That means helping struggling middle class Americans without access to affordable insurance find a plan that provides good care at a price they can pay. That means changing federal health programs to stop paying doctors and hospitals based solely on how many tests they run and start rewarding positive results. While the House and Senate develop their plans for this reform, I will be focused on ensuring access to quality health care, containing the growth in health care costs, maintaining Hoosiers' access to the doctor they choose, and protecting taxpayers from vague promises that will increase the debt down the road. And as Congress debates the details of every proposal, please be assured I will listen to your thoughts and evaluate legislation on their merits.


Sincerely,

Brad Ellsworth

[PuraVidaDreamin]

1. I can't tell what he proposes to change things

Lots of blah-blah-blah tho'

[and-justice-for-all]

2. I was just passing it on..I sent him an email and he(They) reply..

I almost always get a reply to my emails from them.