My Letter to Congress: H.R.3200 America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009

I am writing as your constituent in the 28th Congressional district of Texas. I am writing as your constituent in the 28th Congressional district of Texas. I oppose H.R.3200 - America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, and am tracking it using OpenCongress.org, the free public resource website for government transparency and accountability.

Sincerely,
benjamin Orens

Please advise me of your possion;( The Health Care Bill )
Page 50/Section 152
Page 58 and 59
Page 65/section 164
Page 203/line 14-15
Page 241 and 253
Page 272. section 1145
Page 317 and 321
Page 425, line 4-12
Page 429, line 13-25

Thank you for all that you do.Let's get America back on her feet. I
do not understand all that I have been told about this bill, but I am
very uncomfortable with these items.

Thanks,
Ben

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Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the health care reform law that was enacted in March 2010. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

I voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act because I believe that it authorizes a government takeover of our private health care system, will do nothing to restrain the runaway growth of health care costs, and will increase federal spending and deficits by trillions of dollars in coming years. Although not a single Republican Senator voted for bill, the measure was approved and signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010.

Buried in the 2,000 pages of legislation are scores of provisions that will restructure how we can obtain health care services. From government-mandated health insurance to new regulations on doctor-patient relationships, the new law will replace our current system with government control.

During Senate consideration of the legislation, debate and opportunities for amendments were deliberately limited. I offered an amendment to allow states and American taxpayers the opportunity to opt out of the bill?s key provisions, including the higher taxes, unfunded mandates, and penalties. I authored another amendment that would have delayed new taxes imposed by the legislation. Although these and other attempts to delay or derail the legislation failed, twenty-seven states subsequently filed lawsuits in federal court that challenged the constitutionality of the law and its individual health insurance mandate (i.e., stipulations that they must buy government-dictated health insurance, or pay a penalty to the Internal Revenue Service). Two federal district court judges have since ruled that part or all of the new law is unconstitutional. These cases are expected to be appealed and decided by the U.S. Supreme Court sometime next year.

In the meantime, the Obama Administration is accelerating implementation of the new law, and forcing states to incur millions of dollars in costs that may be wasted, if the law is found to be unconstitutional. For this reason, I have introduced the Save Our States (SOS) Act, which would suspend implementation of the health care reform law until the Supreme Court renders its final decision. I hope to force a vote on my bill soon, before states and businesses are required to spend additional millions on a new law that many legal scholars believe is unconstitutional.

In 2011, a provision in health reform took effect; it states that Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts (privately funded, tax-exempt accounts used by millions of working families for out-of-pocket health care costs) could no longer be used to buy over-the-counter medications ? unless a doctor writes a prescription. In response, I introduced S. 312, the Patients? Freedom to Choose Act, to overturn this restriction and also repeal the new $2,500 federal cap on private contributions to Flexible Spending Accounts.

Also troubling are the extraordinary steps the Obama Administration has taken to exempt scores of favored corporations and labor union health plans from the new law. It's clear that the Administration intends to concentrate the costs and consequences on Medicare recipients, individuals and families who currently buy their health care coverage, and small employers that offer job-based insurance benefits.

As then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said in 2010, "We have to pass the health care bill so that you can find out what is in it." Americans are finding out more every day, and they like it less and less. There are better health care solutions that will actually lower costs, expand access to quality care, and increase patients? choices. The right approach would keep patients at the center of our health care system, reduce the costs of overbearing government regulations, eliminate lawsuit abuse, and allow small businesses to pool their insurance purchasing power. It would bolster family doctors and community hospitals, and support a competitive health care system that encourages individuals to make health care choices according to their needs and wants ? not government rules.

With these objectives in mind, I was the lead cosponsor of the Health Care Freedom Act of 2009 (S. 1324), authored by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC). This bill would provide tax credits for individuals who purchase their own insurance so that the coverage they buy is portable. It would implement nationwide medical malpractice reform. It would create a web portal for easy comparisons of competing insurance plans and allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines. It would also give flexibility to states to set their own health insurance rules. Unfortunately, the Senate majority has not allowed a vote to be taken on these commonsense reforms.

You are among thousands of Texans who have written to express their views on this crucial topic. Please be assured I will continue to do all I can to reverse and overturn the new law, and replace it with a comprehensive, sensible plan to contain costs and improve health care quality, while emphasizing the strengths of our system.

I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue that is important to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY to this message as this mailbox is only for the delivery of outbound messages, and is not monitored for replies. Due to the volume of mail Senator Hutchison receives, she requests that all email messages be sent through the contact form found on her website at http://hutchison.senate.gov/?p=email_kay .

If you would like more information about issues pending before the Senate, please visit the Senator's website at http://hutchison.senate.gov .? You will find articles, floor statements, press releases, and weekly columns on current events.

Thank you.