U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. 26th District of Texas

I hope you republicans stick to you guns on Medicare. It will assure Democrats a victory in 2011 and 2012. YEAH!!1

Voters with half a brain understand Ryan's plan is trying to save Medicare for seniors. Voters without half a brain will vote Democrat, like they always do. We got your back, Congressman Burgess. Thanks for speaking out on this.

Sorry Dr. You are mistaken. The "control" you abhor is actually disliked by insurance and medical supply companies etc, who are milking the system. Already millions of $ in fraud has been discovered by new reviewers for Medicare. Remember the Columbia Hospital System 10 yrs or so ago? Stole a lot of money from Medicare and lost their case in court. I am very happy to be starting on Medicare soon, as it will cost a lot less and and have fewer restrictions than insurances I've had. My first perk will be an annual checkup.

Mr. Burgess, I found your argument confusing regarding the "unelected" panel that recommends cuts to Medicare. You state that Congress (our "elected" representatives) review and can change the recommendation. Isn't that work being accomplished by "elected" officials? You state that Congress may not be able to agree on the cuts. So why are you advocating by-passing the initial step that, in theory, will give the politicians the political cover that they seem to need in order to vote for the cuts. How does this differ from the framework established by Dick Armey for closing military bases. Were the independent base closing commissioners elected? That formula seemed to work just fine in light of the fact that no Congressman seemed willing to vote to close a base in his or her district.

Anything that removes the ability of Congress to get involved is a GREAT thing... Corrupt, mind-numb, and career vote seekers. They will solve nothing on their own so until we get one term limits on all politically elected positions - neuter them!

And if Democrats get the White House for another term, you can keep your Medicare as it until it becomes completely insolvent and then the Pyramid will crumble. That's fine those at the top of the Pyramid but for those who are not who have contributed to that system their entire lives, they'll have nothing. This is not busness as usual. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over in the same way and to expect a different result. That is insane! It is imparative that we get a different result. If the American people are as idiotic as to perpetuate the current insanity, they deserve to be a third world country as that will be what we have.

Thank you Congressman/Doctor Burgess for keeping the Doctor/Patient relationship at the forefront of the Healthcare Reform debate. The innumerable tangets involved in the endeavor are necessary, and unfortunately allow many arm-chair politicians to take aim at you based on their interpretations of your presentation. A presentation necessary to place only One block at the base of our healthcare system. I ask those who argue with Dr. Burgess to step back and look - He is not arguing that Congress "elected" are the righteous, or all-knowing. He is simply saying that streamlining decisions into an even more narrow and out-of-reach, appointed panel is far more dangerous than allowing elected officials to at least fight for their constituents concerns. Those against repeal: please consider the cost spent on premiums, vs the cost of preventive care for a healthy person. Do we really want to continue feeding a system that gives us a "free" annual check up while cutting the critical care we may or may not need in the future. Medicare was originally an earned entitlement. It has grown into an all-encompassing insurance policy that consituents demand should cover elective and ancillary care while continuing to cover the truly catastrophic, or unfortuante cases in disability, chronic illness, etc. I think we can all agree we would rather pay for our own office visit, if it will save us the thousands we may need in the event of catastrophic injury or illness. This is all Dr. Burgess and others who want to repeal are trying to do. It is a pain-staking, arduous task that only those truly committed to providing quality care to everyone are willing to undertake. Please pause before making spontaneous political arguments. Our health, our future is too important; and Dr. Burgess committment is far more sincere and important than is being heard.

This is another scheme figured out by Obama to give a jobs to his friends that contributed to his election and reelection campaigns..Blatent and outragous Chicago politics and it STINKS!!