Health care bill threatens insurance coverage for ordinary Americans

Regarding the May 5 news article “ Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: The so-called “health bill” just passed by the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives is a threat to health insurance coverage that ordinary Americans need. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Meanwhile, congressional Democrats are on the defensive working to prevent the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. However, it is long past time to go beyond the ACA and support enactment of a health plan that covers all Americans – improved Medicare for all.

It is time for Congress to meet the needs of their constituents rather than the interests of private insurance companies and Big Pharma.

House’s actions ‘heartless and stupid’

Regarding the May 5 news article “Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: Now that it appears that health care will be left up entirely to individuals, what will happen to millions of Americans who cannot afford insurance?

Ending the Affordable Care Act will only increase the cost of health care in America. Public health will be adversely affected. Even more people will become ill.

My wife and I currently pay $15,000 a year for my wife's insurance because she had a family pre-existing condition – cholesterol.

If we cannot buy medical insurance because of a pre-existing condition, we will be forced to sell our house, move into a small apartment and become wards of the state.

The House doesn’t care about those who cannot afford reasonably priced health insurance. It will one day. No pestilence can tell the difference between millionaires and those of us who struggle to pay $15,000 a year for insurance and millions of others who simply cannot pay. Pestilences do not discriminate among the wealthy, the middle class and the poor.

Denying people an opportunity to buy reasonably-price health insurance is both heartless and stupid.

Health care bill could harm many

Regarding the May 5 news article “Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: Allow me to be the first to congratulate congressional Republicans. With the narrow passage of the “Repeal and Replace Obamacare” legislation, they have managed to unite their deeply divided party in the House. It actually brought together the slightly right of moderate, the far-right and the alt-right.

Remember how Republicans tried to convince America that Obamacare would place the fate of elderly Americans in the hands of death panels? Well, they have now bought and paid for that title. The bill that was passed is a transparent act to use subsidies and Medicaid to pay for an enormous tax cut for the wealthy and, if passed by the Senate, would likely be a death sentence for the poor, disabled, elderly, injured, mentally ill and children – their constituents.

Impact of health care reform

Regarding the May 5 news article “Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: The House vote to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will have significant impact on voters in the Triangle.

Voters need to better understand the impact on their continuing health insurance coverage and the significant increase in health insurance costs, and hold the following representatives accountable for their actions and vote: George Holding, 2nd District, Republican; Virginia Foxx, 5th District, Republican; Mark Walker, 6th District, Republican; and David Rouzer, 7th District, Republican.

Clarify pre-existing conditions

Regarding the May 5 news article “Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: Since people both young and old are treated everyday for a variety of medical issues by their doctors, isn’t everything essentially a pre-existing condition? So, everyone should be in the same pool, right? What criteria will be used to determine what is and what isn’t pre-existing?

Put congressmen on AHCA

Regarding the May 5 news article “Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: If it’s good for the goose it’s good for the gander. Let’s immediately put every congressman who voted for the American Health Care Act on it. It would be a good test to see how well it works.

Health care ‘choices’ questioned

Regarding the May 5 news article “Health care bill clears House; Senate fate iffy”: Paraphrasing what famous lawman, Bat Masterson, said in 1921: Rich people have ice in the summer and poor people have ice in the winter, and the rich consider it equal. The same could be said about the Republicans’ plan to give people health care “choices.”

Child’s plight misused

Regarding the May 3 news brief “Kimmel recounts newborn son’s heart surgery”: Anyone who would use the plight of their own child to advance a political agenda is really pushing the envelope of character and integrity.

Jimmy Kimmel’s emotional request could be understood as a concerned parent to some extent, but to use it to bring attention to what is already apparent is abhorrent. There already are laws to preclude any hospital or medical provider from withholding care due to lack of insurance in the U.S. and North Carolina.

To imply that this child, when an adult, would be denied access to health care coverage due to a congenital heart defect is actually beyond the realm of logical belief. No one should die because they are denied insurance coverage but this was not a reasonable use of the most precious gift any parent ever receives.

Kimmel’s son is doing well but this playing to the audience was uncalled for. This nation’s health care issues were not advanced or improved by this action.

This story was originally published May 6, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Health care bill threatens insurance coverage for ordinary Americans."