But nothing about public option or single payer health care, just a bunch of safe positions, nothing that would stir a controversy.

Here is the response, you decide.

Dear Peter:

Thank you for writing me to share your thoughts on health care reform. It is good to [...]]]> Finally got a lame formula reply from Senator Patty Murray‘s office.

But nothing about public option or single payer health care, just a bunch of safe positions, nothing that would stir a controversy.

Here is the response, you decide.

Dear Peter:

Thank you for writing me to share your thoughts on health care reform. It is good to hear from you.

Health care reform is one of the most critical issues facing our nation. Our current health care system is unstable and unsustainable. Too many people do not have health care coverage and many of those who have coverage are worried about losing it in this uncertain economy. Businesses and families are finding it harder and harder to deal with increasing health care premiums.

In addition, Washington state family budgets cannot sustain the continual rise in health care costs and hidden taxes in the form of rising premiums to cover the uninsured. If we do not get health care costs under control, local, state and federal government budgets will have to take on the weight of rising health care costs. While health care reform may require an initial cost investment, I strongly believe that it will pay off in the long term and the cost letting the system become more unstable is much greater. Without reform to our health care system, premiums will continue to rise, coverage will become more uncertain, businesses will lose competitiveness and it will be harder for Americans to have access to care.

After months of hearings and over 50 hours of public markups, I was pleased that on July 15th, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed the Affordable Health Choices Act. The Affordable Health Choices Act lays out policy changes for health care reform in America. This package works to rein in health care costs with a goal of lowering them in the long term and ensure that all Americans have access to high quality, affordable health care coverage. It allows those who like their health insurance to keep it and provides options to those who do not have access to health insurance coverage.

This bill includes provisions to implement several key health insurance reforms. For example, insurance companies would no longer be able to refuse coverage to individuals due to preexisting conditions, patients’ out-of-pocket expenses would be limited and all annual and lifetime caps on insurance coverage would be eliminated.

The passage of the Affordable Health Choices Act out of the HELP Committee is a major step in the longer process of health care reform. The Senate Finance Committee is also working on many aspects of health care reform and the Affordable Health Choices Act will need to be combined with this legislation in the future. The Finance Committee is expected to release their proposal soon. In addition, the House of Representatives is working on a separate version of health care reform legislation.

As the Senate moves forward on health care reform legislation, I will be weighing the many concerns that I am hearing from constituents all across Washington state. As this effort continues, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind. You can find more information on my Website at http://murray.senate.gov/healthcarereform/.

Again, thank you for contacting me about this important issue. If you would like to know more about my work in the Senate, please feel free to sign up for my weekly updates at http://murray.senate.gov/updates. Please keep in touch.

I hope all is well in Camano Island.

I know they get lots of letters from special interest groups, lobbyists, and astroturfers. But that’s why you give [...]]]> I sent them some email about 2 weeks ago about some solutions for the health care debate. No form letter response, no acknowledgment of my mail, but I got added to one of my senators mailing lists.

I know they get lots of letters from special interest groups, lobbyists, and astroturfers. But that’s why you give them your home address and phone number, so they know it’s from an actual constituent. The staffs of your representatives need to at the very least acknowledge your mail, even if you don’t get a personal response.

My representatives are:

Senator Patty Murray
Senator Maria Cantwell
Representative Rick Larsen

It’s no wonder people are pissed off in these town hall meetings, you can’t even get a email auto-responder.

I’ll let you know if these folks ever reply.

In an insurance run(not a government run) plan with 47 million members, premiums should be much lower [...]]]> While the congress debates health care policy, I began thinking about the 47 million uninsured as a group of people as members of a huge pool of insured. Canada has only 33 million people in a government run plan.

In an insurance run(not a government run) plan with 47 million members, premiums should be much lower than what some large corporations pay.

Another thing that doesn’t seem to be mentioned much is the “Single Payer Plan”. The right says “Socialism”, the left says “Universal Health Care”

Then we have some pissed off people disrupting town hall meeting. I understand the rage, but unruliness in public forums is unacceptable.