From Judith Wachter
Creston
Thank you for your response, dated July 25, to my thoughts and concerns about the ACA.
First of all, I am speaking of the Affordable Care Act, which was enacted by our former president, Mr. Obama. The ACA was widely accepted until it was somehow renamed “Obama Care.” Suddenly, it was no longer an acceptable health care system. Interesting that a name change could change opinions so easily. I have my own ideas about it and I believe that many people would think that my ideas are not very complimentary.
To reiterate, I have not had any difficulties with the ACA. My premiums are fine. I kept my original health care professional (doctor) and plan. My numerous health conditions have been treated and paid for by the health insurance provided by myself and the government. I could not have paid for all of the medical procedures I have had without it. We would be bankrupt.
Furthermore, my son, who has a pre-existing condition and lives in Colorado, was finally able to have healthcare for himself and his family because of the ACA and Colorado’s adoption of it.
He receives a stipend from the state to help with the cost of the monthly premiums.
The ACA has not failed. It has some areas that need to be changed and those should be studied and changed. A very apt adage would be, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.”
Medicare and Medicaid should not be slashed.
Wealthy citizens should not have additional tax breaks.
Those citizens who are elderly, have pre-existing conditions, are poor and disadvantaged should have good healthcare. It is a right. Congress should be able to provide universal healthcare to every citizen. You certainly have an excellent healthcare plan for which I help to pay. So should everyone else!
Now the Republicans intend to cut benefits, take away needed services, cut funding and give the upper 1 percent a tax break. This is unconscionable!
Other developed nations provide healthcare to all citizens and they are quite good plans. America should be able to do the same for all of its citizens. It’s the right thing to do.
In addition, you don’t really know what’s going on because all of this has been done in secret. I’ve believed for 77 years that I live in a democracy. I certainly don’t describe the actions of the Republican Senators and Mitch McConnell as very democratic. You don’t even have a CBO (I think that’s what it’s called) to know how many people will be without any health insurance under any of your present plans or how much it will really cost.
To say that I’m unhappy with you and your seeming lack of compassion when it comes to health care for all of us, would be a mild expression of my present feelings.