LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Congress’ insurance is good enough for us

Frank Maas, Las Vegas

Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 | 2:03 a.m.

I wonder how many members of Congress have opted out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan that they and their families have. If this generous health insurance plan is so bad, why do they have it for themselves?

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

By vsestini

8/1/09 at 5:51 a.m.

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If we, the people, can afford this insurance for those in Congress and federal government, why can't we afford it for the rest of us?

If we can't afford it for the nation, then we really can't afford it for federal government employees, Congress included. We should then stop paying for their health care.

Those that vote against national health care should then be required to buy their own health care insurance like the rest of us.

The cry is always, "The nation can't afford it; it will bankrupt us. It is bad for the economy and the nation." However, there never has been any cry and hew against government officials receiving their insurance. No cries were raised when President Reagan received health care when he was shot in an assassination attempt; no one said we could not afford to give him the best health care when he became an
Alzheimer patient; No one cried out about the cost of Barbara Bush's heart surgery...no, we could afford it in these instances but not for John Q Taxpayer...

National health care for everyone or for no one... if the people can't have it; we can't afford it for the general public then we can't afford it for those in government.

Congressmen and Senators who vote against it should immediately drop their national health care insurance...afterall, they should lead by example!
By casinokid

8/1/09 at 8:04 a.m.

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Vsestini:
Don't hold back tell it all brother tell it all........
I would love to see those that think this is bad to show us while the debate is going on to some how protest by giving up thier government health care plan.
I would really like Mr. President Obama to go on national television and challenge the Gop and the Democrates that oppose this to do just that.
Give it up baby! Give it up!
By vsestini

8/1/09 at 8:54 a.m.

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Everyone of these Republicans, Independents and 'Blue Dog Democrats' have never read the entire health care bill and don't care because IT WILL NOT have any adverse effect on them personally....they have their governmental health care all sewed up...

Write a letter to any one of these representatives and ask why it is good for them to have national health coverage but not for the rest of us and they will not answer you... guaranteed!

The one way to end all of this is to vote the bastards out of office and limit all future representatives to one term only...at least we can shorten the time they have available to rob and cheat us and diminish the U.S. Treasury for their own benefits.

John Ensign never answered this! Jon Porter never answered this, but took his health care benefits without complaining. In office about 6 months and he had major ear surgery at Bethesda Naval Hospital on the public dole; but he could not vote the same for Iran-Afghanistan wounded vets....too expensive!

These and other clowns in congress continue to cry about the expense of such a plan, how unfair it would be, how difficult it would be to implement, how it would result in rationing of health care...etc., etc. They certainly don't consider rationing their own health insurance courtesy of the American taxpayer do they? Oh, no...they earn it every day....
By SgtRock

8/1/09 at 11:39 a.m.

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Many polls show that over 75% of Americans are happy with their insurance and their health care.

So why would they want to give that up to get something like ration Obama care and have to pay higher taxes to get it.

Americans are not stupid.

The Blue Dogs are not stupid either. They know if they vote for something that dumb that they will lose their seats.
By StanG

8/1/09 at 3:36 p.m.

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I guess you guys didn't hear or prefer not to understand the difference between "instead of" and "in addition to".
Congresspersons like their Health Care program, so they opt to keep it. Exactly like you. If you like yours, keep it. If you don't, or if you don't have any, like a few of our fellow citizens don't, then you will have another option. The rest of us who are currently better off, will chip in to relieve your suffering. But of course there's the rub. It's that awful compassion thing again.
By Future

8/1/09 at 4:40 p.m.

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The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program provides Federal employees, retirees and their survivors enjoy the widest selection of health plans in the country. You can choose from among Consumer-Driven and High Deductible plans that offer catastrophic risk protection with higher deductibles, health savings/reimbursable accounts and lower premiums, or Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans, and their Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) if you live (or sometimes if you work) within the area serviced by the plan.

http://www.opm.gov/INSURE/HEALTH/

Carriers include many "private insurance companies" such Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, APWU Health Plan, GEHA High Deductible Health Plan
NALC, SAMBA, Aetna HealthFund (CDHP/HDHP), Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Inc. (CDHP/HDHP)

Did I mention that these are "private insurance companies"
By R_W

8/1/09 at 5:19 p.m.

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Frank, the information you desire can be obtained from Congress thru a FOIA request, but it's not likely you would receive names, but numbers instead, and if you're lucky, by party affiliation. I can tell you most who are enrolled in the FEHBP are happy with the program. The plan proposed by President Obama is similar. I hope this has helped answer some of the questions and/or concerns you seem to have. As I see it, the republicans are obstructionists when it comes to this proposed plan whereas the blue dog democrats have concerns over costs, and seem to be in lock step with the Congressional Budget Office's (projected) figures.

This proposed plan is for everyone; that is, for those who currently don't have insurance and/or can't afford health insurance. These are the folks President Obama is trying to reach. Like the president, I'm enrolled in FEHBP and I'm happy with my plan. He isn't talking to me, but rather those who don't have insurance. Once this plan comes out of committee and is merged together with each house, then and only then can you pay strict attention to detail. Right now, you don't know, and you don't know, and as for my republican friends, I have absolutely know idea what they know or should I say don't know... If they were genuinely concerned for the citizens, then they would be more apt to join and make this a bipartisan effort...
By lvsunreader

8/1/09 at 11:57 p.m.

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If this plan looks like the care coming from the VA hospitals - run for the hills. Check out the Sacramento Bee, July 28th, for an article about a young 20 year old airman who lost both legs - not in Iraq - in gallbladder surgery at the VA hospital. They accidently cut his aorta. If he hadn't been rushed to UC Davis, he'd be dead. Any of course he can't sue .... read it and weep for that young man and his family.

If you REALLY think that you will be exempt and get to keep your private insurance plan, I have some lake front property I would like to sell you!
By Mia_Kulper

8/2/09 at 8:20 a.m.

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lvsunreader, that's a terrible tragedy.

And you just know that somebody somewhere will try to use Airman Read's tragic amputation to score cheap political points but the alarming truth is that nearly 200,000 Americans are killed every year in hospitals all across our nation due to medical errors!
By larry5

8/3/09 at 9:19 p.m.

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StanG - It's been established that if single-payer is not enacted right away, whatever plan congress passes will ultimately lead to single-payer.

You will not have a choice - that's the plan.