Letter to the editor: Reader says, ‘Chuck and Joni, Don’t do it!’

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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to the media, accompanied by Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

An open letter to U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst:

If you think people are unhappy with the Affordable Care Act, aka, Obamacare, just consider the outcome if it is repealed.

We are ALL potential preexisting conditions living in Iowa. Most women have a uterus. If fibroid tissue is documented in genealogical exams, then — Bingo! — preexisting condition.

Usually fibroids shrink and disappear in postmenopausal women. Yet such women are still considered to have preexisting conditions and can be denied health care coverage or experience extravagant premium increases.

Under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), this kind of coverage is routine.

Outgrowing childhood asthma is common. Yet it’s labeled a preexisting condition and — Bam! — health care denial.

It is fundamentally immoral and unethical to PROFIT by disease, maladies and life-threatening accidents. Yet the healthcare industry does just that. It is a gold mine for drug companies, with profits of 23 percent or more. Paying CEOs fantastical salaries FOR denying benefits to sick people is also immoral and anti-democratic.

We want a health care system such as our Canadian cousins enjoy. Yes, they are taxed for this benefit, but it unleashes great entrepreneurial spirit when one is not undermined by stress from poor health, hospitalization bankruptcy and death FROM denial of benefits.

You say that the government bureaucrats cannot manage this system? Nonsense! Medicare operates with just a 3 percent overhead. Those “bureaucrats” know their jobs. Mom gets her Medicare benefits when needed. Overhead enjoyed by private healthcare companies is usually 12 percent or more.

So who’s telling the truth? Who has the most to gain?

The Graham-Cassidy bill is shameful. By block granting money to the states, there is NO guarantee that the states will keep health benefits in force for those with preexisting conditions. Even PREGNANCY is a preexisting condition to some insurers.

That the state of Iowa would manage health insurance is not reassuring. With the change wrought by Branstad last year, the services to Iowans on Medicaid are appalling. Many small providers serving this population are not even being paid! This is an insult to small businesses.

So we have no confidence that Iowa can accomplish what the Graham-Cassidy bill claims is going to be a panacea of good things.

Mental health coverage is part of Obamacare (aka, the Affordable Care Act), but states can choose to drop mental health coverage under Graham-Cassidy.

Because people are over-stressed and worried by recent Tweet rants of Donald Trump, escalating violence, nuclear war and destruction of North Korea, we cannot risk being without mental health coverage nationally.

The cornerstone of Obamacare are the 10 Essential Health Benefits. Among these 10 are mammograms. It strikes me as discriminatory NOT to cover mammograms. Yet Graham-Cassidy bill allows states to drop the 10 Essential Health Benefits.

Repealing Obamacare would needlessly cost tens of thousands of lives and bankruptcies a year. Please, don’t do it. It really comes down to this: Whose side are you on?

Don and Danielle Wirth
Woodward

2 COMMENTS

  1. Our Iowa senators seem to care more about the Republican Party than the citizens of Iowa. Call them and tell them to vote NO! They need to be spokesmen for Iowans not politicians. The ACA, Obamacare, can be fixed. My suggestion would be to start negotiating with drug companies to control prices. And in the future work toward a one-payer system — Medicare for everyone. The CEOs of drug companies and health insurances companies are only concerned about their salaries and company profits.

  2. Our senators voted for an endless war expenditure last week that equals Senator Sanders’ single-payer health insurance plus free community college. The senators will support Mitch McConnell and the 1 percent before Iowans. Grassley is out of touch with us, the 99 percent of Iowans, and is a K Street regular. It’s all about the money. –Ed Jeffress

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