Exchange with Congressman Regarding Health Care Reform

[thom danfield]

July 21, 2009

Congressman McCarthy--

We wish to respond to the reply you emailed us; your reply is copied below:

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"July 21, 2009
Dear Tom and Diane:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me in support of reforming our health care system.

I couldn't agree more; our current health care system must be reformed so that health care is more affordable and accessible to all Americans. I strongly believe that our medical decisions must fundamentally remain in the control of patients. Thus, I have grave concerns about any health care reform, well-intentioned as it might be, that would end up allowing government to control the health care decisions that are normally reserved to patients and their doctors. We do not need a national HMO, where government dictates what kinds of treatments patients can receive and causes people that currently enjoy their health care coverage to have to change it.

I am pleased that the President is increasing national attention on this important issue. I hope to work alongside my colleagues in the House and with the Obama Administration to improve our current health care system with practical and common-sense reforms that, at its core, ensures Americans have access to health care while still preserving the doctor-patient relationship.

Thanks again for contacting me on issues of importance to you. If you would like additional information on services my office can provide you, my votes and positions on issues facing our nation, and to subscribe to receive periodic "e-newsletters," please visit my website at http://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/.

Sincerely,

Kevin McCarthy
Member of Congress"

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Respectfully, our response is that you seem to be simply touting the conservative Republican line. The Republican party has done little if anything these past 8 years that has benefited the citizenry when it comes to health care reform. Rather, that party has been more intent on using the fear of having the "government get between the patient and the doctor." Quite simply, that is precisely where the private sector has placed itself. THAT IS INARGUABLE ! ! ! The reform being proposed DOES NOT eliminate the private sector; rather it allows for more choices. If a government sponsored and regulated "public option" is such a bust, the marketplace will show that in a very short period of time. You cannot tell us that the private sector and its alleged "free market" have not failed the American people. By now we would hope that you do not need palpable proof of that fact.

As constituents we want you to support the current attempts at health care reform. Those attempts DO NOT eliminate the private sector element. If there are problems with ANY reform that is put in place, it will be your job to then correct and/or improve THAT system. The sort of reform being proposed by the Obama administration can be done AND it should be done. Over 75% of voters want some form of health care reform, but that reform MUST BE meaningful or Congress has failed the citizenry. We urge you to stop blocking and delaying the health care reform this country deserves; big-moneyed interests have had their way for too long; that too, is undeniable!

The argument that uses the fear that "government will get between the patient and the doctor" is deceptive, exaggerated AND overplayed. There have always been things “between the patient and the doctor;” most times it is financial considerations that create the hardships and the denial of services. The HMO’s have acted and behaved very irresponsibly in their “free market” where denial of services equates to “added profits.”

Again, as constituents we want you to support the current attempts at health care reform being proposed in a bipartisan spirit by the Obama administration.

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as a current (July 27, 2009) addendum, no response from McCarthy has been received. perhaps he is too busy with other nationally urgent matters such as the "stupid" behavior of cops and professors in Massachusetts.

[Cary]

Outstanding letter.... it addresses everyone's concern with health care and hopefully, congressmen will start paying attention and make it happen.

[Holly]

Well said Tom and Diane!!