Seek grains of truth in reform talk

To the Editor:

As I read the transcript of President Obama’s July 18 radio address, I agree with his opening statement that health-care reform “affects the health and financial well-being of every single American and the stability of our entire economy.”

However, I begin to wonder if there’s a grain of truth to what the president continues to say:

“I want to be very clear: I will not sign on to any health plan that adds to our deficits over the next decade.”

According to preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, the coverage provisions of the House bill (HR 3200) will result in an estimated net increase in the deficit of $65 billion by 2019.

“If you like your insurance, you get to keep that insurance. Period, end of story.”

Under Section 102 of the House bill, you will only be allowed to keep your current employer-provided plan for a maximum of five years (less, for individual plans) at which time it must be replaced with a federally “qualified” managed-care plan. Everyone (except your congressman) will be covered by the same plan provisions whether public or private and regardless of who’s paying.

This is not keeping your insurance. Period, end of story.

“I don’t believe that government can or should run health care.”

The proposed legislation creates a government bureaucracy, which will limit your access to specialists and medical treatment options, in effect rationing health care.

“The opponents of health care would have us do nothing.”

Just because there is opposition to the current health care reform legislation does not mean that those opposed want to “do nothing.” There are currently other legislative proposals in Congress that are not being considered which would provide for effective health care reform while giving Americans real choices and preserving their control over their personal health care.

Ruth Maloney

Wanamingo

Tags: health care reform, opinion, letters