Email Response to Senator Bill Nelson

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent an email entitled "Taking Action on Health Care Reform." Before his senate career, Nelson was Florida's Insurance Commissioner; he was fiercely protective of consumers. He brings a great deal of knowledge of the economic realities of and experience working with the insurance industry. He is a moderate Democrat for whom I have voted in the past. Nelson invited constituents to respond with their concerns regarding health care reform. Below is mine:

Dear Sen. Nelson:

Thank you for the email regarding your position on health care reform. I am happy you are on the Senate Finance Committee because I know you will bring your experience as Florida's Insurance Commissioner to this issue.

My biggest concerns are:

1. Adding enforcement procedures to bar illegal aliens from receiving benefits. Without those, the law forbidding it will be a toothless tiger.

2. Assuring that taxpayer funding of abortions will never be allowed under this legislation. Again, without explicit language regarding this, the legislation might be used to undermine or overturn current restrictions.

3. Reliance on Medicare "savings" to fund a large portion of insurance coverage for the uninsured. Even the CBO, along with many other health insurance experts, doubts there is enough "fraud and abuse" in Medicare to add up to the savings estimates. Even if all fraud and abuse in Medicare is eliminated, the reality is Medicare costs will escalate in the next decade. It is unrealistic to expect "cuts" in these expenditures at the same time enrollments will grow by 30% as more baby boomers become eligible. The result can only mean a reduction in benefits or rationing of care or long delays in services. All of these are unacceptable.

Thank you for your continued work on this issue. Please reach across the aisle and help our country solve the problems in our healthcare system without destroying it.

Sincerely,
Susan M. Lamb