John Boehner - 8th District of Ohio

I just wanted to say thank you to congressman Boehner for opposing both cap & trade and this ridiculous health care reform disaster. As a small business owner and father of 4 young children I would like to say thanks and ask that you do everything and anything in your power to stop this freight train of a power grab. We the people of the United States who oppose this recent barrage of legislation know full well that it is nothing more than just that, a power grab. Please continue to do all you can to protect the freedoms of the citizens of this country. Thank you!!!

I am not a resident of your district in Ohio but I thank you for your input and those others in the Repubilcan party for not agreeing to this awful healthcare reform package, and having enough "Guts" to not be swayed by the Dems. I will not allow this "socialist" reform to alter my health insurance or allow the govt to make choices for me about my private medical care. I previously sent a letter to my district Rep, Dennis Kucinich, and of course not a reply and also to Senators Geo. Voinovich, and Sherrod Brown... however, they were unclear in their standings on health care reform, but seem to support a public insurance plan. I would like to send you a copy of the letter that I sent to the above persons, and you can read my thoughts on this issue. I will send a separate email for that purpose directly to your email address. Any govt person who does not stand up for his constituents does not deserve to be re-elected next time. It is time for the elected to come to our side and stand up against the Democrats and the Obama administration. All they can do is spend my hard earned money, tax, tax tax....... and now they are going to punish the capitalist of this country and the Small Business firms......so we can give to those who don't earn there way.Have the DEMS ever thought that perhaps some people choose not to have private heath insurance,,,, NO,, they just want to jam another policy down our throats and have more govt control....

Please do not vote to pass the Health Care Bill that is currently before the House. Thank you for your time.

I'm not a computer expert, and want a copy of this chart that I can email to all my Conservative/Republican as well as idiot/Communist/Obamaite/Democrats to show them the nonsense that the original moron (Nancy Pelosi) and her cronies have proposed. Thanks for standing up against these morons -- I am 65, retired, on a fixed income, unemployed due to car accident injury and concerned because WE ARE LOSING AMERICA

This is the most ridiculous, wasteful, bunch of bureaucratic hogwash that I have ever seen. These people are nuts, plain and simple. The majority of people in this country DO NOT WANT THIS !!!!! I certainly hope that you can help convince some of those Blue Dog Democrats to vote against this nonsense.

UNBELIEVABLE!!! What are the chances that this plan will fail? Please tell me there is hope. Thanxxx!

Thank you Rep Boehner for standing up for Americans and fighting this scary non-sense as much as you can. We Americans have hamstrung the House Republicans by voting so many of you out that we don't have a voice of reason when these disasters come down the line. Until you stood up and said no more.Your work and dedication is making a difference. There are alot of people hearing you so please don't quit on us! You sure do make this Ohioan proud!

I would like to add my voice to the growing number of citizens who think this Democratic health care reform bill is a recipe for disaster. We need to reform our health care system not tear it apart and remake it in the image of European socialist societies. Thanks as always, for standing up and speaking out for common sense and real American values.

RUSHED AND CRAMMED THROUGH CONGRESS AND SHOVED DOWN THE THROATS OF AMERICANS...THIS HEALTH CARE REFORM IS A DISASTROUS IDEA. EVERYONE I KNOW, OF BOTH PARTIES IS OPPOSED TO THIS!!! I BELEIVIE THIS IS ALL ABOUT DEMOCRATS GAINING CONTROL...CONTROL OF MORE VOTES FROM THE "ENTITLED" TO INSURE CONTINUED CONTROL OF OUR ECONOMY AND WEALTH AND CHOICES.

I hope that at some point you all settle down adn read what is being proposed, and stop the maddness. We need sensible legislation, please do not pass this bill that has been pushed to the top of the agenda.

Hi Senator Boehner please vote 'no' on this healthcare plan. It is a waste of taxpayer money and it includes abortion rights which should not be part of a national plan. Please vote NO Jo Roe

I am greatly disturbed by most of the concepts being proposed in the name of "healthcare reform". I could write pages of opinions opposing the imitative but the following points strike me as most important: 1. Health insurance should be treated like other insurance, i.e. it should be an actuarially sound program under which people pay a risk-based premium into a fund and take from the fund based upon a schedule of benefits. Those who don't pay, don't get. The State does not give people either car insurance or life insurance, so why should it give people health insurance? 2. Cost reform should start by putting limits on the punitive awards available through the legal system for health-related suits. That would reduce the cost of malpractice insurance and reduce the instance of unnecessary tests, prescribed to defend against malpractice allegations. There is almost no value to the public in outrageous lawsuit awards to individuals. Once lawsuits are controlled, other concepts that add costs such as HIPPA should be eliminated. 3. Benefits from any government-mandated healthcare system should be strictly rationed with absolute limits to the availability of more exotic/expensive and "end of life" treatments. 4. All public programs should make fraud prevention more important than unfettered access to coverage, something woefully missing from most public assistance programs. 5. A "public option" insurance program should be rejected to preserve the equity with private programs. The government does not make a profit, so private firms could not be expected to compete, and would soon fail. I have always paid for my health insurance and made sure my children were equally responsible. Now being asked to pay for my own healthcare and the healthcare of others is a bitter pill. I support working on cost control, but am mindful that the supply of healthcare services is linked to the amount paid for them. Reducing payments to the healthcare system could result in reduced availability of services which is to no one's advantage. I am opposed to publically-funded health insurance.

I am a pediatrician with an office in West Chester. This year, with the downturn in the economy, we decided to open our doors to more Medicaid patients in Butler County . Every day, like our families we serve, I face the dilemma of which bills to pay - supplies, vaccines, rent, employees, utilities - to the point that I am not paying myself! Reducing my corporate taxes will not help me - I am not making a profit anyway. What will help is basic health coverage for my employees and families. The current delivery of health care in unsustainable. Small businesses, like my own, face increasing health care premiums every year. Our own office saw a 35% premium increase from 2008 to 2009. We had to reduce many people to part-time status and eliminate health insurance coverage for them (yes, a double whammy for the Ohio economy). As much as you tout the ability to "keep your own plan . . . and doctor!" the reality is that the plans sold to small businesses have ever higher deductibles, higher co-insurances, co-payments, and exclusions. The rules for us are the same as the rules for our families. What is being sold as "health insurance" are policies without even basic coverage. I am embarassed to live in a country that tolerates insurance companies charging copayments for vaccines. Vaccines, of all things!---a component of basic health care in every developed country, except this one. Physicians are asked to shoulder more of the direct cost of care and the administrative burden of health care. The most efficient (although not best-paying) system we deal with is Ohio Medicaid. Other than pre-verifying coverage, there is no administrative upfront cost. We receive payment within 10 days on average, and there is no balance bill to the parents. We know exactly what is covered and the payment to expect. And, did you know that vaccines are provided free? Yes, FREE through the VFC program. On the other hand, Anthem, which pays only a little bit more than Ohio Medicaid, has mulitiple policies with multiple rules and exclusions. We might spend $100 in administrative costs to collect a $20 fee. We never know if vaccines are covered in full, so we have to purchase them up front, hope for the best, and if not, explain to a parent why they owe us money. (Anthem never seems to do a good job explaning what they don't cover.) The Republican Party is trying to scare the public about a government monopoly on health care, but ignores the fact that in reality, there really are only a handful of health insurance companies in the country, which in a country of almost 300,000,000 people is quite remarkable. The larger ones have swallowed up the smaller ones and have monopolized not only health care policy, but also the health care debate. We need the public option to keep the big players honest. The rise in unemployment is not the fault of the current administration - those wheels were in motion long before January 20, 2009. What the stimulus has done is ameliorate the effects of the recession (more weeks of unemployment insurance, better coverage for children's health care, subsidy for COBRA insurance coverage, more access to food stamps). So . . . although the jobs are still materializing, at least people have food and some modicum of health care. Private insurance companies can still make a profit under the plans proposed by the Democrats - there will be a whole new market of people to cover under the insurance exchange. Money companies spend lobbying Congress can be funneled into direct care (how about paying providers more?). Your organization chart spoofs the President's plan, but ignores the fact that a complete paradigm shift is necessary if we are ever going to move this country forward. Kudos to the Democrats for coming up with a new direction. Private insurance companies will still be able to operate in the transformed environment, but will have to align with the goals of the American people and the health providers of this country: a healthy population. On this, we are not willing to compromise. If you truly care about the citizens of Ohio, particularly those of Butler County, please support the President's agenda for health reform.

Congressman Boehner, I want to personally thank you for all you are doing for the Republican Party in helping defeat this insane out of control Democrat Health Care Plan. Please work with the Blue Dog Democrats to defeat this bill in the House. My Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn is well aware of what happens with a Govt. Control Health Care Plan(TennCare) which was a total disaster and has nearly bankrupted our state. Thanks for all you do, Best Regards, Steve Farmer Germantown, TN 7th District of Tennessee

Love the flow chart, keep it up, we support you! I have twice written to the White House with my concerns and have yet to get a response. Although I doubt I will as I am not in favor of his policies and am very concerned with his ajenda. God Bless!

Please keep up the good work. DO NOT pass all this nonsense that is hurting this great country. Health reform as it is in Congress right now is wrong, please get as many with your views to stop this runaway train of spending. No more pork, stick to the essentiials and keep government out of everyone's business.

Honorable John Boehner, I am vehementley opposed to a health Care Reform Bill that contains the following provisions; 1. Language that explicitly or implicity makes health insurance pay for abortions and penaltizes those who do not elect to purchase insurance that excludes such payments!! This is nothing more than a subsidy to Planned Parenthood, a private non profit organiztion that government should not be supporting. 2. A Medical Advisory Board that dictates to me the Health Care I can or cannot receive. In the least this is Socialism and in the greatest extent it is unabashed Communism. My Doctor or Specialist is more qualified to prescribe a course of treatment needed for an ailment ot procedure than some remote unattached Advisory Board. When needed, Hospitals already employ teaming of experts that bring together specialists for effectively treating cancer and other severe illnesses. The creation of such a Medical Advisory Board is therefore redundant and would only lead to providing medical care like those received in Canada and England. 3. A government run Public Heath Insurance Program. This would become in time a government endorsed organisation like bankrupt and corrupt Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae subject to political cronyism typified by the likes of Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd!! Please stop the nonsense in the Bills currently being created by Congress. These proposed Bills are tantamont to satisfying the "myth" our health care system is broken, just like the myth congress subscribed to that affordable housing was what was needed for everyone in 1999. I do support Health Care cost reduction that can be realized by just cutting out the 30% waste in Medicare and Medicaid. Eighty percent +of us "Joe the Plumbers" are satisfied with our current Health Care system that is the best in the world. Stop the nonsense and stop trying to fix something that "ain't broke"!! Thank you so very much for all the hard work you have put worth in representing your 8th District constituients and as House Minority Leader with honor, truth and veracity Respectfully submitted, Theodore Norbut

Dear Congressman Boehner, When President Obama was elected, I was concerned due to his lack of experience. My only form of relief was in the experience of congressmen and women, as well as our senators. I was writing to ask you to please vote "NO" on health care reform, but I can see that you have not forgotten the premises our country was founded on. Thank you.

please try to stop health care reform and cap and trade. we can not withstand any new taxes the middle class has had enough!!!!!!!!1 thank you

Please, please continue fighting this massive Gov't healthcare takeover!! We can't afford it and we know that IF it is passed, we'll be losing a very important freedom. We must stop this latest assault on America.

I feel that the republicans really don't care about us without insurance. You know the poor and middle class. At least Obama is trying to do something. Why don't you try to work with him. On the poll on the internet show that over 58 percent want something done. Please put politics aside and do something for us. I only wish I had your insurance. Are you afraid that you may lose your insurance and have to suffer like we are.

No! to the administration's proposed Health Care Program. Who is going to pay for it, how much will it cost me? Members on congress and the non-elected members of the administration MUST be included / participate in any change and treated the exact same way ordinary citizens of this country will be. No exceptions! Let's see the supporters of this plan show their confidence in this or any similar plan by action rather than words. Their health care is no more important than mine or my families!

Please stop this new proposed health care plan. I would like to keep my ability to choose my health care. The govenmernt can't run anything within budget. The don't understand what profit and Loss means. If this plan was so great the congress would vote themself into such a plan.

Thank you. Please keep up the fight against national health care and cap and tax. I live in California and no political representative is on our side.

Please advise your House colleagues that I will join my fellow Christians in refusing to participate in any plan that involves public funding of abortion.

It is time the United States develops a single payer national health insurance system. That would lower costs to the individual by removing the insurance companies profit. It would also lower costs by reducing administrative time and cost by the providers not having to meet a wide variety of insurance company formats.

The new bill for health care is bad for the nation, bad for the citizens and bad for the great medical treatment we have in this nation. The President must be stopped on this bill. To impose a dead line as he has is plan stupid. We had 2 other bills that had dead lines and they are both a disaster. This is even a bigger diaster- to tax American citizens that have wealth & give free healthcare to illegals. I am not wealthy, I do have healtcare that is good but I certainly do not want a government run program. Just look at Canada & England. Our health care will suffer. Thank you Mr. Boehner for fighting a good fight!!

Please stop this President Obama's so called health care and the cap and tax bills. The American tax payers can't afford to live now and both of these bills would force all Americans to pay more taxes and we will get LESS health care. I ask you Cogressman, how many of the Congressmen and Senators are going to give up their health care and signup for the health care plan they are trying to shove down our throats? I bet you can't find a single one. That's what they think of the health plan. How many have even read what they are trying to pass? Personally, I've lived in Europe where there is a single payer system and everyone hates the system because they can die before getting treament. This health care plan is just another way that President Obama is "Reforming America" to a Socialized system.

Congressman Boehner, thank you for staying on top of this and other, recent ludicrous moves. How have we gone from health care reform to a public health care plan? According to a team of actuaries from Milliman, "the potential for waste reduction through shifts in utilization involving a total of $1.8 trillion... They found the greatest potential for waste reduction in inpatient visits (47%) and inpatient services (43%), followed by outpatient facility services and other professional services (40% each). Prescription drug waste could be reduced by 28%." (http://www.hr.cch.com/news/benefits/031209.asp) That's a lot of money! I can tell you from experience that better coordination of care among providers would save $100sB also. There are huge opportunites with systemic change without going down the path of public plans. Why not start there, reform Medicare and Medicaid, allow coverage for pre-existing conditions, allow small businesses to buy affordable health coverage as groups, allow some time for the paint to dry and see where we stand? In the meantime, make some sort of short term accomodation for those without health insurance who want coverage.

Health care reform - Yes Government run health care - NO I might reconsider if: 1. you guarantee that our legislators will not be exempt from the same plan they are trying to force on the rest of us and 2) you name one government run program that is efficient and not bankrupt (surely can't be the postal service, Veteran health care system, Amtrack, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, etc... etc... etc....) Best means by which to get the corruption and lobbyists out of Washington is to implement term limits!

Thank you Congressman Boehner for your exceptional leadership on exposing the democrat's scheme to perpetrate a huge healthcare fraud upon the American people. Your chart is amazing and at the same time frightening. I have printed off the 1,108 page health care bill and am reading through it. I have your chart to help me understand the spiderweb of agencies, approvals, commissions etc. that this bill creates. I am for health care for those who cannot afford it but I am against mandated government healthcare. My parents and my family has a history of fighting for America's freedom and I feel that we are at the edge of giving up so much of what we have fought so hard and long for. I want the freedom to choose my healthcare provider, my hospital and my plan. I want to live in a country that treats people with dignity at all points of life from conception to death. I resent and am aghast at this proposed bill that requires the government be invovled in determining whether I can receive healthcare once I reach a certain age. Americans should have the right to be treated with dignity at all stages of life without government interference. This bill also does not allow Americans to keep their plan as the President promised - there are reviews and approvals required and I believe these government oversights were set up to push everyone into the government plan. I could keep going but I feel compelled to read this bill unlike the Democrats who seem bent on voting for bills they have neither read nor understood. Please continue your fine work to stop the spread of socialism cloaked in the soaring rhetoric of change.

Thank you very much Mr. Boehner for once again standing up for hard-working Americans who do not want the government taking away our freedoms. The health care reform currently being proposed in congress is nothing more than federal government takeover of yet another industry (after they have already taken over banking, automobile manufacturing, and have their sights set on energy). Please don't give up the fight. There are too few people in D.C. who are standing strong to stop the liberal agenda from taking over everything in our country.

Congressman Boehner, Please do everything to defeat this national health plan. It has shades of "big Brother". Also, if this health plan is so wonderful why are government employees, White House Staff, the President and legislators in the house and senate exempt from joining it and will be allowed to keep their insurance which is the best coverage in the country? My question is "what right does the government have to tell me what health care I receive?

Thank you, Congressman Boehner, for your stand on the Healthcare Reform Bill. I totally agree with your stance and am proud that you represent my district!

I am a Christian who resides in Greenville, SC. I have been followng the proposed health care bills that the Democrats in the House and Senate are developinging. As I reviewed your chart, this will be a massive disaster for all of us except Prseident Obama and the members of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. If government run health care is necessary, then why are the members of these branches going to be on this government run heath program. I do not want a government run program that is run by a board of bureaucrats that dictate to my doctors about the type of treatment that I should have. I am capable of collaborating with my doctors to decide what is the best treatments needed for me. I want a patient-centered program. Instead of our President and Congress trying to overhaul our entire system health care system, they should concentrate on providing health care insurance for about the 10 millions that truly do not have access of to health care insurance. Too much bureaucracy will create more problems than solve the problems that it was created to solve. I want to see both Democrats and Republicans collaborate in order to develop the best bill to take care of the main problem of providing insurance for those who truly do not have access to it and to brainstorms effective ways to decrease the cost. There are some good ideas, but all of the ideas are not being discussed. I do not want taxpayers money going to subsidize health insurance for about 10 million illegal immigrants or fund abortions. I want reform that addresses our problems. We have quality health care in this country with the ability to select your own doctors and for you and your doctor to decide what is the best treatment. Many people from other countries come here to have surgeries that they are not able to get in a timely manner or not able to get at all. Please take it slow, research all possible options, and create the best bill that will solve the problems and allow all Americans to maintain control over their own health care decisions and provide opportunities for all American citizens to purchase the health insurance that fits their needs. We as Americans do not need the government dictating to us how we should live our lives and to take more of our money away from us. We need a government that works for us the American people not against us.

Those people who think that government run health care is the way to go don't understand how it would work. If a patient needs special tests such as an MRI or treatment of a serious disease such as cancer, he could wait as long as six months and be dead before being treated. The government is more interested in the cost involved rather than the health of the individual. Why do you think so many people come from Canada and other countries that have socialized medicine? It is because this is the only place they can get what they need. I certainly don't want the government to regulate my or my family's health care with all the red tape and inefficiency that goes on. Here is a small example of government run health care. When we were in Ireland, my husband tried to buy an ear syringe at a pharmacy. He was told that he would have to get a DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION...for an EAR SYRINGE!!!! Does that not sound like a racket?! I hope and pray that Congress will not pass this ridiculous plan. It is also outrageous that our tax money should be used to fund ABORTIONS! Thanks you for your work, Mr. Boehner. Please keep it up. God bless.

It's O-ver. America has reached bi-partisanship. Neither Democrats nor Republicans want rationed, government run health care ! Our house is on fire. Jobs are going up in smoke, and Medicare and Medicaid are melting. Common sense Democrats and Republicans say "let's put out the fire before we put on an expensive addition to our house".

Rep Boehner: Stand tall! Keep this "reform" where it belongs, in Rep Pelosi's desk drawer. We need to find a way to contain costs; expanding coverage without dealing with costs -- truly dealing with them -- is a recipe for disaster. Tell the unions that it's time to tax health care benefits, same as for individuals. Thank you.

I am against this universal health care reform. I don't want it forced on my family - we are happy with the insurance that we do have. My husband is diabetic, and we could not afford the national health insurance. Why not get a plan for the very small percentage of people that can't get insurance? And I don't mean the illegal aliens, or the ones that are just too lazy/cheap to get insurance. This county has too many citizens that just want the government to take care of them. That isn't the government's job!

The proposed Health Care plan is heading the United States down the path of socialized medicine which has major flaws as evidenced by the programs in Canada and the United Kingdom, which are now revealing increased costs and lack of treatment. The government has NEVER run a business sucessfully! Why should we trust them to have unfettered control over the medical establishment to the degree that they determine who gets treated, how you are treated, and when to allow treatment. Obama et al, have not stopped unemployment approaching 10%, spent us and our progeny into multi-trillion dollar debt with a bogus stimulus package, and have proven to be inept in dealing with terrorism and illegal aliens. They have not demonstrated a sucessful format to date, and they should not attempt to solve the health program problem until they clean up the messes already on their plate.

Please no government health care , no more bailouts no more taxes, govenment is killing us ! Limited self government, lower taxes, strong military! Conservative core Values. The train is off the tracks , can we ever recover! Very concerned very scared citizen! we need to drill our own oil now stop sending, funding islamic nations that want us destroyed! America first! For my children and grandchildren i am a 53 yr old grandfather i want the AMERICA i grew up in that i love and my family fought for we need strong leadership stay in the stop the liberals socialists from killing our freedoms PLEASE!

I live in Connecticut. I always vote for Republicans both locally and nationally, but we don't have any clout here. I wish we had someone like you fighting for ordinary hard working independent people like me. Keep up the good work.

i realy do not have anything to add to the above comments. just adding my thanks to you for fighting for what america is supposted to be. as a mother of three i find myself more worried daily for the future of my children.

Mr. Congressman: I am so pleased to see you standing against this so called Healthcare Reform. It will lead to bigger government and will lead to less freedom for us all. My very best to you, sir.

Dear Congressman Boehner, A huge thank you to you for at least attempting to get this information out there, and for trying to make it difficult for things such as (and the aforementioned 'Cap and Tax') to be approved. Your latest email update regarding this issue was spot-on: it really IS all about the fine print. I will be forwarding your information and my comments to my congressman, Steve Austria, and to both Senators Brown and Voinovich as well.

I reside in Illinois. Rep Boehner thank you for fighting against socialism and what ultimately turns into government oppossion. This type of healthcare reform we do NOT need. What will the government want to control next...the food supply? May God give all of you in leadership the graces to stand firm and the wisdom to protect all Americans from this government takeover.

I thought the letter from the Pediatrician in West Chester supporting health care reform (dated 7-18) quite compelling. Most people commenting just seem to have a strong dislike for government run health care. Do they really think it is going to be any worse then insurance run health care?

This is understandably a problem without a simple solution. There are, however, some facts that are irrefutable. The government health programs already in effect for smaller segments of the population - Medicare, Medicaid, the VA - are not without major problems. Do we really think Washington can do a better job on a larger scale? I also have read that a major portion of health care expense comes from those people who use the ambulance and emergency room services as their transportation and medical care service for non emergency situations. This behavior and expense can not be changed by giving someone health insurance - the high cost of emergency service will still be absorbed by medical facilities and the government through the claim on the national health care insurance. Also, even with private insurance there can be problems with the timing of referrals for specialized care - anyone who has ever dealt with the government in a non medical capacity can attest to the slower pace of government - this would be a nightmare issue in regards to medical situations. And if there was such a problem, can you imagine the system that would be involved in a review or protest? It's the government -who do you think will win? I do believe that a comprehensive program for preventive care for everyone would go a long way to curtailing medical costs. It is cheaper to diagnose an oil leak early, fix the seal, and go on than it is to wait for the transmission to seize up and have to replace the whole thing. An annual physical, blood tests and vaccinations should be available for all - available, not mandatory- this is still America! Instead of spending the HUGE amount of money it would take for the government to ADMINISTER an ineffective, insufficient national health system, why not take health care to the people in the form of neighborhood health clinics (supplementing standard doctors' offices) which could be staffed with medical professionals whose education is paid for in exchange for a few years service and being paid a middle class wage. Would it be anymore expensive to put the money into paying the lion's share for preventive health care for those who can't afford health insurance rather that pay the bureaucracy to administer an inadequate national system? May be the national part of health care could then be just for a major medical program that everyone not on private insurance would be assessed for at a more affordable rate than for total coverage. I'm not saying that any of these suggestions are that great, but there is definitely a better answer to this than the same old major government involvement that is always proposed by Washington for any situation. They (we) need to think outside the box and get creative here - and we need to involve people who actually deal with health care, not a bunch of politicians and their cronies who know no more than you and I about how the system really works.And We have to quit just throwing money at every problem in the hope that something will work - any tax dollars spent should actually result in a noticeable, positive result. More debt for no confirmed benefit is and should be criminal - we can not afford more mindless debt!

Thank you for your efforts. All of the above blogs say what I think. The chart of 31 new agencies (?) to determine our health care scares me a lot. New Gov't spending for figure heads for each, staff, etc. Unbelievable! With all the discs from computerizing our health, who wants his/her health available to be hacked by whoever. I don't. Every morning I awake with a "what's going to be taken away from us today" attitude. The country we knew is being dessimated before our eyes. Keep up the fight and get rid of Pelosi too. Why isn't the Republicans plan being presented. Dems keep saying we don't have a plan...more lies. Marxism is frightening and it's frightening that we are w/o recourse except election time and pestering our representatives who are w/o the numbers to prevent these debacles from happening. Hang in there Congressman Boehner. God bless you and your efforts along with all our congressmen. What was it the other day that Senator Voinavich voted against our ways for or against? Isn't he really a liberal anyway? Hanging in there in Lebanon, OH for freedom not marxism/socialism/communism, what else?

Representative Boehner: thank you for fighting the Good Fight!! You are upholding our country's conservative values and beliefs. This flow chart is unbelievable! I too believe health insurance should be affordable and attainable to all Americans. However, this Reform must include Torte Reform. Please let me know what I can do to help in this fight. I would love to volunteer in your office as I am in your district and live in Fairfield TWP. Besides this healthcare issue, we have a battle going on with cap and trade and so many other liberal ideas coming down the pike. I am ready to sign up!!!

I would like to thank you for not agreeing with the gov't run health care. I also am glad that you coming out and advising the people of the whole bill and what they are trying to do to our citizens of the US.

PLEASE,plp= continue to keep the public informed. We must defeat the health care plan. We do need change!. It is my hope that our representatives will come home on break and really check out how we the people feel about this plan. Most of us do not want to depend on the government. We want our freedom! To many choices have already been taken from We The People. Hopefully government will take time and get this right. Thanks for listening! Karen

Thank you, Congressman Boehner, for not agreeing with the Healthcare Reform Bill, I totally agree with your stance. I am proud that you represent my district and the state of Ohio. Please keep it up for the American people and God Bless and our country.

I have read many of the previous comments to Rep Boehner on this site, both pro and con. It has been instructional to me and I found that I agreed with the following: 1. Health care reform (and other bills) should be a deliberate process not a race. 2. Each bill should be read in full by those voting on it 3. Agree with current bill that it should encourage improvements in hard core uninsured coverage (but not illegals), improved consumer information and rewarding health care performance 4. Realize that govt control of private businesses is financially inefficient and should be avoided 5. Govt control of private business eventually creeps into political control and should be avoided 6. Tort reform is critically needed as part of any health care bill including lavish and huge lawsuit payouts 7. Citizens should have access to the same privately run health care program and costs as do govt employees (including all leaders) 8. Current bill should addresses only the scope (who is covered), administration and problems with costs in the privately run health care system. 9. Need to address cost and admin problems (waste) in Medicare, Medicaid and Soc Sec in a separate but coordinated bill. I believe Rep Boehner is doing a good job but needs to advertise more publically the republican health care position (generally privately run). The public (including until recently me) believes that the republicans have no strategy or even an outline for what to do about the health care issue.

Please make every effort to defeat the proposed Democratic sponsored health care legislation. It is a Big Brother power grab with will force feed their control of our lives regarding healthcare and life itself. Not to be too dramatic here but this bill smacks of untimate control of our lives with the government calling all of the shots, a Brave New World indeed, or worse an apocalyptic tone for the generations to come.

Please vote YES for the Democratic health care reform. What I have seen is that Republicans tell half-truths, flat out lies, and do nothing for the American people. they are the biggest self-interest group I have ever seen or heard of. Let's see how far Republican censorship will go by not allowing this comment on this page.

Rep. Boehner, I was impressed with your interview with Wolf from CNN on Health Care Reform. You understand how this bill, if passed, will impact all of our lives. Most citizens are not given the information they need to get a clear picture of how this 1,000 + pages bill will will effect their life, their family, our economy and our country. Thank you for shedding light on this complicated issue. Please do everything you can to defeat this bill and move toward creating a solution that will truly reflect the spirit of our great country and what we stand for as a democracy.

Dear Representative Boehner, I am concerned about the feckless, headstrong rush to address health care/reforms with additional bureaucracies and debt/deficits. I am very concerned about the influences of such people as Peter Singer in his recent New York Times Magazine article on rationing. I believe that Ezekiel Emanuel is involved with the Obama administation and current health vision. Are you familiar with his article for the Hasting Center, 1994? This article (available online) speaks to the concept of distribution of health care resources. I am appalled by his example of seniors with dementia. Thanks for your forum, Deborah Froelich

Please do everything in your power to defeat the Healthcare Bill. We need to start over and just fix what is wrong. I'm not in favor of a public plan at all; I'm not in favor of covering the millions of illegals.

keep up the fight against this socalled healthcare bill, these democrats have no idea what they are doing. If this disaster happens they should have to use the same healthcare! thanks

Thank you so much for remaining strong in the stand against socialism in every facet of our lives. Please continue to hold ground for our freedoms. Each day Obama presents yet another way to take over control of our lives. Please continue the fight against the government run health care; we can't have the government in charge of whether we get or deserve treatment. Obama's healthcare plan will be the death of us all. We Americans are afraid of what lies before us if Obama continues gaining control. The state run media is whitewashing what is really going on. Please encourage the Republican party to reveal what is in the fine print of all this legislation that is being proposed and expose what the Liberals are really doing. Conservative radio is the only way we can get information as to what is really going on; other republicans need to be taking up the fight and let the public know what this is going to mean for us. This is a fight to preserve America. Obama campaigned that "America doesn't have to be the way it is." I didn't trust that when he said it. But he meant that; he is changing America into a different government, not run by the people or for the people and he is running America into the ground, destroying it. We have to make a stand now before it's too late.

Please STOP "National Healthcare"! HR3200 is much too complex and riddled with incomprehensible amendments. Such a bloated bill can only lead to an even more bloated government bureaucracy. The endless wrangling between departments, agencies, offices, and functionaries will, no doubt, bog down a system which is already too overloaded with people in between the patient and the doctor. If "National Healthcare" is inevitable, please be sure the bill includes provisions which guarantees every single government (federal, state, county, and city) employee (elected, appointed, or hired) is subject to the exact same program as the rest of us poor slobs.

My representative is Lacy Clay Jr. and I'm represented by a Democrat state senator and an Democrat state representative. It is my understanding that what the Democrats are doing is unconstitutional. The right to communicate with your representative is protected my the first amendment. The Democrats claim that this chart is not accurate, but both of my mailing from my state senate and my state representative if full of their propaganda to. This is censorship and I'm willing to do anything I can to fight this.

To: The Honorable congressman John Boehner Thank you very much for your leadership, courage, and steadfastness at a time of profound importance. So many of us are not just supporting you, we need you, our freedoms need you, our families need you. Given the ever increasing questions and concerns of the American People concerning our new President, the speaker of the house, and all the far-left progressives in government today, we need you now more that at any time that I can remember since the 1960's. I support and encourage and that of Rep. Kevin Brady and all of our fellow House Republicans, along with the Blue Dogs, ---- to hold that line with ever fiber in your being. Because the bloom is starting to come off the Obama rose and his many who voted from him now wish they had not. I have watched your youtube videos and your a class act in the face of the progressives trying all the dirty tricks they can to cut you short. FYI, If you ever have to take the gloves off, I will still be standing right at your side. We need men and women like you, and there out there all across American and we will win seats back. For now you must hold the line with what you have. God Bless you.

Congress is poised to pass President Obama's National Health Care Bill. This bill allows euthanasia and provides government the power to determine who lives or dies in America. I neither support euthanasia nor abortion which would be paid for by my tax dollars! I am a registered voter and have voted in nearly every election for many years. Should you have the opportunity to vote on this bill, I wish you to know I do not support this bill and pray for our nation now! May God protect ans guide you!

We should have contracted rates for all persons who seek health care, not just those with current insurance. If one is between jobs/does not have health care coverage, they should definately receive the same contracted rates. In addition, hospitals should come to some agreement on being "specialists" in the same ares of expertise. Ex. if there are 4-6 hospitals in a city, there should be specalities (cancer, heart, etc.) one at each end of town, the others should specialize in other areas and not duplicate the services/atate of the art equipment as they currently do in order to be the #1 in the area in multiple specialities. These hospitals/facility treatment centers are contributing to the health care issue with their tactics.

The country needs a public OPTION. The health insurance companies are running RAMPANT, and a public option will help regulate and give people below upper-middle class finances the ability to have health insurance. The current system, supported by the GOP, is bleeding America and makes a CLEAR statement-- Corporation First and only the rich deserve to live. If the health insurance companies cared about their insurees, they would not spend MILLIONS a day to stop reform.

The "Public plan option is just that, an option(a choice). Many people have an insurance company between them and their doctors denying coverage due to pre existing conditions or procedure costs. Double didgit increases in premiums and less coverage are making health insurance unreachable for many Americans. 14,000 Americans loose their coverage everyday, adding to the 49,000,000 who already go without. A public option would only level the playing field while adding more players to the "Freemarket". All that a Public Option does is offer lower cost coverage to those who cannot afford private insurance and a chance for small businesses to offer affordable coverage to employees. This option would use a system already in place ( though grossly underfunded) called Medicare/Medicade that only has an operating cost of 2 or 3 %, while private (for profit) insurers have overhead costs upwords of 15 to 30%. With everone covered, very few people would be showing up in emergancy rooms unisured racking up bills they can never pay (which in turn we pay, either through taxes or higher premiums). In countries with government run medicine (Sweden, France, Canada) people live an average of 3 to 5 years longer than Americans. This is due to preventative care, instead of waiting until your deathly ill to go to the hospital because you're afraid of the bills. In short, an option is just that an option (a choice). If you are happy with your current coverage and/or carrier, you can keep them. Thankyou for all you hard work congressman. I hope that some how you and the Dems. can reach some short of agreement dealing with healthcare reform.

I just want to say "Thank you" for your strong, honest opposition to the "piece of s--t" bill, HR 3200 perpetrated by the Democrat party. Is it possible to find out the name(s) of the actual people who drafted this? They have no place in any representative form of government. They should work for Hugo Chavez or someone like him.

Rep. Boehner, Thank you for standing up for the citizens of America! We are taxpayers that are sick and tired of seeing OUR money wasted by people that could care less about us or our lives and struggles. I get sick of hearing Nancy Pelosi call us "astroturf" and saying that we are part of a group that is paid by repubs, insurance companies or drug companies to "fake" being mad. We ARE grass roots and we ARE mad! No one has to pay us to want our feelings known. I agree that something needs done, but for them to vote on a bill that they have no intention of reading is disgusting. It is always easy to spend someone else's money, & Washington does it very good. If they would get rid of the pork, they would have plenty of money to pay for health care for LEGAL people without it. It starts at the border, then with lobbyists and lawyers and malpractice lawsuits. It is the fear of being sued that makes doctors do more tests than necessary. People that sue and get millions more than they could possibly make in their lifetime are also part of the problem, as are the lawyers that represent them. My family lost the best PCP that we have ever had, due to this beaurocratic nightmare. I live in a small town and he couldn't make any money and often treated his patients out of his own pocket because he actually cared about us. He could no longer afford to lose money so he had to look for somewhere else to go. It was a tremendous loss to his patients but we understood his predicament. All I can say is it is very lucky for Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd that they don't have the health "care" that they are trying to shove down our throats. You know, they are old and probably shouldn't have the surgery, just take the painkiller. Save the surgery and chemo for younger more productive people. Those are the words of the president, not mine. The only productive thing I see about either of those is that they are very good at spending our money but not caring about what we think of how they do it! I'm sure they are important to their families, but so are our relatives to us. Who gets to be God and choose who is worthy of treatment and who isn't? This nonsense has to end and they need to take time and pay attention to what we think and respect the people that voted for them in the first place. They work for us, not the other way around. Stop wasting our money and run the country like we run our households. Spend wisely and then save most of the rest for a rainy day. Pay down the massive debt that we already have before spending more!! I think the best way to sum it up is the comment that the man made at one of the town hall meetings-"it took the president's family six months to pick out a dog, why must this be so rushed??" Well said!! Unfortunately, neither of the Ohio senators has the time to listen to their constituents. I just hope they read the bill and put themselves in OUR position during their vacations, since they will have time. God Bless the USA!!

Congressman Boehner, While the President promises that we can keep our own Family Physicians, many Americans like me that are on Medicaid cannot. This is the only health coverage that I have and like many others, I have mandatorily been placed on a managed care plan. This plan is divided up into regions. Because my Doctor of 11 years is not in this region, I can no longer be treated by him unless I pay out-of-pocket. (My income is only $115 a month, while I've been waiting 3 years for my disability claim) In fact, I have made monthly payments to my personal Physician before, due to inadequate health care from "assigned" MCP Physicians who cannot or will not prescribe the medications I desperately need. I have been hospitalized 3 times in the last year, and have had 3 surgeries. The first time I was on an MCP, I was misdiagnosed by 2 of these MCP Physicians and it took over a year to get the correct diagnosis when I moved and went back on regular Medicaid. I say, please let your fellow Ohioans go back to regular Medicaid so we can choose to stay with our own Doctor who we know and trust. In June, I had a heart attack and the Hospital I went to does not perform cardiac procedures except for testing. Now I have to get approval before going to another Hospital. I asked a phone representative what I was suppose to do if I had another heart attack and had to take time to get approval from my MCP and she said "I guess you'll have to just die." I am very discouraged with the proposed healthcare reform. Please vote "No." The people of Troy, Ohio trust you and your decision.

Congressman, Thank you for adding some reason into the healthcare debate, one of the most important issues of our time. We are for health reform in principle but are very disappointed in the way this important issue is being handled. We feel we are being railroaded into something we don't yet understand. If I were to come home and tell my spouse, "I'm converting the roof to solar. It will save money, help the environment, improve our lives." She would ask, "how much will it cost? Where are we getting the money? How much will it save us each year? How long is the payback?" If I said, "I don't know." She would say, "Let's wait till you find out." That's all we are asking before we can support health reform. How much will it cost? Where are we getting the money? How will it affect my taxes? We need these answers not in platitudes but in detail. You would not expect any less of us as responsible citizens,, would you?

Please put a stop to the President Obama's health care reform as it is bad and costly for american citizens while it will eliminate choices for us and put us further into debt. Please focus on job growth and tax reductions. Please work to bring back manufacturing to the US as it truely creates wealth while everything else redistributes it. We need strong national defense also. It is time the US gets back to its roots with God and that our constitutional rights are protected. We are a Democratic Republic with a capitalistic society that works if th governemnt would get out of the way and let work. I feel that we have taxaion without representation from Washington and would like the members of Congress to live by the same laws they impose upon us. I would like to see the interests of the US citizens taken care of first. I would like to end illegal immegration and the collection of benefits form the non-citizens. I would like to see a stop to government waste and pork. I would like all of congree to at least read the bills they are enacting into law. I would like to see clear language out of the mouths of politicians and they should have to make a stand and have their votes be known to all without a lot of "fluff" in the language hat disguises their options. It would be nice to have term limits and cut out these career politicians. Every politician should be required to have town meetings with their constituants whenever they break for recess to answer questions from the people. There should be a cap set on what each congressperosn and senator can spend on travel, etc. Governemnt should ave to run under a balanced budget like everyone else. I would also like to see an end to predatory leanding and restrictions placed upon credit card companies as they are a bunch of legalized loan sharks. We need freedom of religion. I don't know what to do about the libral media bias but media needs to be held accountable for false and inaccurate reporting. Campaign finance reform became a big joke and needs to be looked at closely. Governemnt needs to be transparent. Wall Street people need to be transparent and accountable. Any who obtains buyout money shouldn't be receiving bonus money. Wher are the jobs for Ohio and the rest of the US? Please do something about these major problems that will resolve the problems not create more debt and reduce the value of our dollar. Stop the selling of our prosperity to foriegn interests. We need sound conservative principles that have been proven to work. May God help us.

Congressman Boehner, Let me add my name to the list of your constituents who are opposed to the health care reform bills under consideration by the democratic majority in Congress. While there is always room for improvement in how our nation manages healthcare for its' citizens, the current crop of legislation is completely inappropriate. We should be considering tort reform. We should encourage citizens to establish their own healthcare spending accounts. We should encourage the medical establishment to make the cost of healthcare clear and unambiguous to patients. We should encourage consumers to shop around for the most reasonable price for healthcare services. We should encourage competition in the private insurance industry by enabling the purchase of health care insurance across state lines. We should encourage citizens to pay for incidental health care out of pocket, and reserve insurance for instances of catastrophic illness or injury. What I am unalterably opposed to is the federal government sizing control of the healthcare industry and thereby erroding my liberty and personal freedom. I am irrevocably opposed to paying even more of my hard-earned income to any government agency. Please continue to oppose the health care reforms put forth by President Barack Obama. Please know that I and a majority of my fellow citizens are watching how you and your colleagues conduct yourselves. Your actions and those of your colleagues will have reprocussions in the coming elections, and for the rest of my life.

Please Rep. Boehner get the word out about the socialist dems. and their agenda, our country needs to be saved. Thanx

I agree with the previous statement: "If you truly care about the citizens of Ohio, particularly those of Butler County, please support the President's agenda for health reform."

Thank you Congressman Boehner from the State of Idaho. Keep up the fight against government tyranny. I would hope that next year we see more candidates emerge with the same fervor that you possess. Give me candidates that will run on the "WHY" platform. Review each and every government bureaucracy and program, and ask WHY? If it doesn't make sense, and is hampering our freedoms and liberty, then eliminate it.

Thank you for your work on our behalf and for the good of the people of the USA. I am writing to ask that you resist the tide of decay and the erosion of our liberties in Washington (led by President Obama and partisan leftists) and vote against the so called ‘health care reform’ bills currently being considered. The wool is not being pulled over the eyes of vigilant Americans, but we need you to represent us during this critical time against the cries of those being led by the executive Pied Piper as he seeks to divide and destroy America. Thank you

Mr. Boehner, I am writing to implore you to put the American people first in your work on any reform to our health care system. Like some, I do believe we have a broken system, fueled by greed and self-service. We have created a system where medical practitioners are liable for human mistakes and insurance companies control the care we receive. The American people do deserve better. We have allowed our political leaders to live outside the systems they create for the rest of us, your predecessors have skillfully seen to that. But the rest of us do have to live inside the laws you decree. Please look at the reform of our systems with a humanitarian, non-political, non-partisan eye. Put aside politics for the good of all Americans. We are a rich nation and there has to be some type of reform we can all live with. Thank you.

Congresman Boehner Thanks for being a voice of reason on this Health Care bill. I am opposed to the bill as it stands. It does not make sense nor has anyone really been able to explain how it will really effect the majority of Americans.

Top Five Health Care Reform Lies inspired by John Boehner. Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!! The truth: These accusations—of "death panels" and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: "No 'death panel' in health care bill."4 What's the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans. Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!! The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease. Obama's reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality insurance options. Included in the exchange is the public health insurance option—a nationwide plan with a broad network of providers—that will operate alongside private insurance companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality up and costs down. If you're happy with your coverage and doctors, you can keep them. But the new public plan will expand choices to millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it, including many who simply can't afford health care now. Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!! The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is covered—that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop that. Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage. And outside of that, as noted above, reform will increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed situation. Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens' Medicare benefits!!! The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare benefits. Reform includes savings from Medicare that are unrelated to patient care—in fact, the savings comes from cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. Lie #5: Obama's health care plan will bankrupt America!!! The truth: We need health care reform now in order to prevent bankruptcy—to control spiraling costs that affect individuals, families, small businesses, and the American economy. Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health care. The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade —and each year, nearly a million people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses. Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.

When President Obama signed the SCHIP bill after being in office 2 weeks, he threw all the smokers "UNDER THE BUS". We, being a minority, are being grossly taxed, and it is a fact that most smokers are not wealthy people. That being said, if the healthcare plan passes, who else will join us under the bus? It's time to say, "MOVE THAT BUS" I want my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to see a new home in their future, not taxed out of one., . I hope you vote NO on the healthcare plan, and any other plan that will increase taxes.

Thanks Mr. Boehner, for representing our district. You know what is best for our people and it is not socialism. Yes, our system needed a make-over but this is ridiculous. Thanks for breaking the "OBAMAhealthcare" program down for us. All they want to do is ram it down our throats as if we should do whatever they want. They are so conniving--They say one thing and do another. I don't believe anything "O" says. Stay in there and fight for us. Thanks

Dear Mr. Boehner, I live in Southwest Ohio, same as you. I see the decline in our state. I work in the manufacturing industry. I've also worked many years in construction. Here's my challenge. Find a residential construction worker with employee based health insurance. Find a construction employee, not an owner, who makes enough money to afford a decent family plan. Take a drive around downtown Cincy,or Dayton, look at the decay of housing in these cities, and tell us straight faced you are proud of that. Take a drive outside the golden oasis of Washington D.C., and tell us your proud of that.

We do not support Obama's health care plan. Since drugs are harming more people than disease, Why don't we have the people pay for their own drugs if they chose to take them. That would save the tax-payer a lot of money!

Thank you for working to stop this awful program. I have been a nurse for 14 years and soon to be a nurse practitioner in Butler County. I do not want the government telling my patients and I what treatment is best for them. I am also very distrustful of government officials unwilling to sign themselves and their families up for the "government plan", but expect the rest of the country to just roll over and take it. Pres. Obama needs to take a long hard look at Canada's healthcare system.

Please stop the nonsense that the Health Care Bill will "push suicide" or create '"death panels". Please see the most recent article in the Journal of the AMA that concludes that "end of life care counseling improves mood and quality of life". The study was funded by the National Cancer Instititute. As a volunteer chaplain I have seen many people facing the challenge of dying and families are not prepared to take on this role. The dying deserve as much support as they need and request.

Congressman Boehner, fellow Ohioan- I apologize for the lengthy note. I see a lot of fear, anger, and frustration on this website, including those of the congressman with no bases on facts. I read many posts but one by a pediatrician on July 18th that made me feel terrible for the thoughtless babbles that came before and after. I am a surgery resident and can't imagine the working under the current system in 5 years. My understanding has been that, those who are sure that the current system 'ain't broke' and those who are satisfied with their plan-the proposed reform won't make them change. I am including a fact-check below. I hope that will intrigue some into finding out the truth for themselves. Then, I would encourage YOU ALL to support the changes being proposed by the administration. 1. Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It's a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies. 2. We can't afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It's a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis. 3. Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It's a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions. 4. Vets' health care is safe and sound: It's a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans. 5. Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It's a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average. 6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It's myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors. 7. You can keep your own insurance: It's myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them. 8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts. Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose. Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you - and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make. Congressman, this is why we need Health Insurance Reform now 1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults were discriminated when they tried to purchase insurance. It will be illegal for insurance co to do this w/ reform. 2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. Who wants to pay more and get less? 3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women's reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. 4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities. 5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured - 13 million people - are employees of firms with less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through a spouse and what happens when that spouse is no longer working??? 6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. 7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. 8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html Learn more:http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes Learn more:http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline Learn more:http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction Learn more:http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html

Dear Congressman Boehner; This is the second time that the democrats have underestimated the buget for their programs. This is unacceptable! Please continue your fight against the Democrat's Health Plan!!