A Letter To The President and Congress on Healthcare Reform

Hello!

I would like to share with you a letter that I have sent to my representatives in Congress, both in the House and Senate. I have also sent this letter to the President via US Mail. While I do not expect that the corruption in Washington will be changed with my letter, I hope that it will reach some members of Congress and the White House.

Healthcare Coverage for all is a necessity, but it must be done in a way that does not have astronomical costs to the American People, and does not infringe into the personal rights and freedoms that Americans are granted because of our freedom as a country. We must find free market solutions to this problem, and not have government infringement into the choices that individuals and their doctors make about the best course of actions regarding medical decisions.

Here is my letter to our representatives in Washington. I strongly urge anyone reading this blog and letter to write one of your own, and share your opinions and ideas with those who are being paid to make decisions for us.

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Honorable President Barak Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500

Ryan Kuyers
7315 Saint Andrews Woods Circle, Unit #202
Louisville KY 40214

May 22, 2009

RE: A Letter on Healthcare Reform

Dear Honorable President Obama:

I am writing to you today regarding the current healthcare debate that is being waged between Republicans and Democrats in our nation’s capital. As it stands right now, our current healthcare system is at a difficult impasse, with new solutions and new ideas being brought forward to solve the crisis that we face, both now and in the future. While there is significant disparity between citizens in our country, a comprehensive solution can be found, with benefits being gained by all Americans.

I have reviewed some of the solutions by members of Congress on various websites that serve as a way to provide comparisons and contrasts between these suggestions. We simply cannot mandate coverage for all citizens, because of evidence provided by countries that have done just that. By mandating coverage, we will effectively cause our citizens to be put on waiting lists for needed services and be denied access to necessary medical care. I strongly urge you to consider and approve legislation that was recently introduced by Senators Coburn and Burr, and Representatives Ryan and Nunes. After reviewing the summary of the “Patients’ Choice Act”, I strongly feel that this legislation will create a free market solution that will ensure solvency in our healthcare system for decades.

As a citizen of the state of Kentucky who has previously worked for a major health insurance company, and who now works as a pharmacy technician while completing schooling to become a Registered Nurse, I feel that I have knowledge about how various components of our healthcare system operate. While I agree that every American should have some sort of health coverage, the way to achieving that goal requires comprehensive reform of many aspects of healthcare. The Patients’ Choice Act achieves many of these comprehensive reforms, but there are certain items that this legislation does not cover that should be included. These items include:

· Parity for mental health treatment for patients with acute and/or chronic mental health conditions. This should be included in legislation to ensure that health insurance carriers provide coverage for mental health disorders that is equal to the coverage for medical disorders. In patients with mental health disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that is poorly treated or left untreated, these patients have much lower outcomes and experience more frequent hospitalization than those who are adequately treated

· Review and revise the requirements for Medicare and Medicaid. As an example, currently in Louisville, Kentucky, a Federally Funded Medicaid HMO called the Passport Health Plan provides care to low income individuals, families, and disabled citizens. While I feel that this program is very beneficial to the people who participate in it, it has gone too far in providing low cost services for its enrollees. While I am a strong advocate for low income individuals and families to receive the care and medications that they need to maintain adequate health, I feel that these individuals also need to have personal responsibility while receiving this care. Currently, patients who have prescriptions on this medical plan pay only $1 per prescription for adults, and nothing for prescriptions for children. In contrast, our currently enlisted military service members who have Tricare coverage are required to pay $3 per prescription, three times that of those on the Passport Program. There must be increased parity between all citizens, with low income citizens being required to maintain a certain level of personal responsibility and financial commitment. We must make all Americans responsible for healthcare, and not allow certain citizens to feel that they are entitled to receive care at a cost below that of the servicemember men and women who keep our country free. Also, patients who shield their income in certain ways to appear that they are income eligible for Medicaid should not be allowed to participate in the federally funded program and instead should be allowed the option of private healthcare coverage.

· Decrease the costs that lead to increased healthcare costs. While it is understandable that many dollars go into the research and development of cutting-edge medical equipment and medications, the current costs of these items directly lead to increased costs incurred by patients who seek healthcare services. Machines that costs millions of dollars to hospitals, such as CT scan and MRI machines, most likely do not cost that same amount to build. We must rein in costs in every aspect of our healthcare system, and reducing those costs is a first step that we must employ immediately. We also must reduce the costs of prescription drugs, and require the use of lower-cost generic alternatives when available. The Passport Health Plan mentioned above requires pharmacies to fill certain brand-name medications even when generic alternatives are available. The recent proposal by the healthcare community to reduce costs by 1.5% each year over 10 years, estimated to save approximately $2 trillion, must be considered in any legislation brought before congress. We also much review medical malpractice litigation, and propose placing caps on this type of litigation to reduce costs of services provided by doctors and nurse practitioners. In a current climate where courts award hundreds of millions of dollars to individuals and groups, it is unsustainable for providers to provide quality care and worry about having to pay extremely high malpractice premiums. Maximum award caps should be considered on medical malpractice lawsuits.

I strongly urge you to consider the Patients’ Choice Act with the above additions as the best solution to America’s Healthcare problems. The Patients’ Choice Act provides the most comprehensive fix to our healthcare dilemma, provides for incentives for health promotion and disease prevention, and allows our citizens to be personally responsible for their health. By providing for all Americans to have access to quality and affordable healthcare, we can insure that future generations have a healthcare system that works for them, each and every time.

I thank you for your time and considerations regarding this very serious and important matter facing our great country. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,


Ryan Kuyers
Louisville, Kentucky 40214