Thank you for contacting me about health reform. I appreciate you sharing your views on this issue of critical importance to Minnesota and the nation.
Today, too many Minnesota families are burdened with high health care costs, and are afraid of losing the coverage they have. Premiums for Minnesota residents have risen 90 percent since 2000, and 444,000 Minnesotans went without health insurance in 2008. If we don't act now, Minnesota families will pay an average of 40 percent of their annual income in health care costs by 2016. This path is unsustainable.
When I travel around the state, Minnesotans ask three basic questions. How are we going to bring down the cost of health insurance? What happens if one of my kids has a pre-existing condition, and I lose my job, or want to switch to a better job? If something bad happens to my family, are we going to have to sell the house or go bankrupt trying to pay off the medical bills? These questions represent the real problems with our health care system, and any proposals to reform it must directly address these concerns for Minnesota families. I proudly voted for H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, because it would do just that. This landmark legislation would put the brakes on skyrocketing health care costs, guarantee coverage and care when you need it, make it easier to shop for health plans, and focus more on prevention to keep us all healthier.
On December 24, 2009 we passed the Senate health reform bill. The Senate bill is the best vehicle we have and I believe the House should pass this legislation so we can get a final bill to the President's desk as soon as possible. I am now working with my colleagues in both chambers of Congress to "pledge and pass." What this means is that if we in the Senate pledge to fix certain elements through a budget process that requires only 51 votes, the House of Representatives should pass the Senate bill. I'd like to share with you some of the strengths of the Senate health reform bill, and why I think it's the best path forward.
First and foremost, health reform would bring a new level of security to your health insurance. Six months after the bill becomes law, health insurance companies would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to children because of a pre-existing condition, or impose lifetime caps on anyone's benefits. Right away, small businesses would also be eligible for tax credits of up to 35% of their employees' premiums, making employee coverage more affordable.
Then in 2014, many more benefits would kick in. Insurance companies would be prohibited from placing annual limits on benefits. No one would be denied coverage or charged more for preexisting conditions. In 2014, Minnesotans and small businesses without insurance would also be able to buy a high-quality plan through the health insurance exchange, which would be like a Travelocity for health insurance. For families who are having trouble making ends meet, there would be subsidies to purchase exchange plans, similar to the current MinnesotaCare program. This means that Minnesotans would be able to change jobs without worrying about health insurance, and bankruptcy from medical bills would be a thing of the past.
One of the most important things we can do for all Minnesotans is to bring down the cost of health care, and paying providers for high-value health care is one of the best ways to slow the growing cost of health care. To this end, I advocated for the Senate health reform bill to incorporate a "value index" into the Medicare payment structure. This incentive would reward Minnesota doctors for providing high quality care at a reasonable cost, and help move the rest of the country in the same direction. I'm pleased that this critical reform is in the Senate bill, along with a requirement that every insurer use a standard form for billing and claims, like we do in Minnesota. This would reduce errors and allow providers to spend more time with patients, and less time on paperwork.
Although I'm disappointed that the public option will likely not be in the final health reform bill, I championed a provision in the Senate health reform bill to hold insurance companies accountable for patients, and reign in profits. The provision would kick in right away and ensure that a higher percentage of every premium dollar is spent on actual health care, not wasteful administrative costs and profits. This was inspired by Minnesota's non-profit health system and would help control skyrocketing health care costs.
Also beginning in 2010, health reform would strengthen Medicare for Minnesota seniors. Medicare beneficiaries would get a free wellness visit every year. The bill would also shrink the so-called "donut hole" in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, and prevent the scheduled cut in Medicare payments to physicians. It's important to know that health reform would not cut benefits for seniors - a protection that I proudly voted for. In fact, the bill would create savings to extend Medicare's Trust Fund solvency for nine additional years through cost-saving measures to improve quality and care coordination.
The bill will also increase access to preventive services for those who are not yet in the Medicare program. Six months after we pass the bill, you would able to get prevention and wellness benefits without worrying about co-pays or deductibles. I believe this focus on prevention is one of the best ways to lower health care costs and become a healthier nation. That is why I also worked to have the Diabetes Prevention Act of 2009 (S. 2734) included in the Senate health reform bill. This bipartisan legislation builds on diabetes prevention efforts already underway in Minnesota, and would help the 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes eat healthier and become more physically active. This would save lives and money, in Minnesota and across the country.
Prevention, strengthening Medicare, incentives for quality, and affordable coverage - I hope you agree that all together, health reform would answer the most pressing questions that Minnesotans have about their health care. I am working everyday to get the bill to the President's desk so Minnesotans can begin to access these benefits without further delay. Please be assured I will keep your thoughts in mind throughout this process.
Thanks again for contacting me, and please don't hesitate to do so in the future regarding this or any other matter of concern to you.Sincerely,
Al Franken
United States Senator
Here is my response:
Dear Senator Franken,
If you truely appreciated my feedback you would consider tax breaks for us and allow us to buy our coverage to what best feeds our needs or get us the same coverage you members of congress after all we are footing the bills for you as well. Keep your hands and the irs out of my health and give tax breaks that work and maybe just maybe people could get back to work. The unions and other associations have ripped us off for far too long. If Minnesota and the US truely mean anything to you. You quit agreeing with the predsident on this matter and reach across the aisle to the Conservatives after all they seem to have our intrests understood since the President and many members of congress have no clue what it is to run a business but you are good at running the businesses into the ground. MN is in the top 8 out of 50 states for high income taxes and other taxes. I think we need to reform our government by voting the remaining democrats outo since they want to be so out of touch with the very voters who put them there. You are totally clueless on what people need and want for their llives I think if you balanced a few budgets in your day you would find there would be no need to raise debt ceilings like this and we are tired of footing your bills for you congressional members. We need our budgets balanced so we can balance our lives. The jobs summits, health summits are nothing more then photo ops and speeches. Since there is no action taken in Washington I see a lot of current members joing the rest of us in unemployment lines. This is a real mess affecting many lives since our anger and outrage at the governement as whole falls on deaf ears, I see a lot of more people taking their lives back and I foresee a lot more of what is happening.
I think you are nothing more then a bunch of overpaid theives. Leave our pockets alone and put the stimulus money and other monies from our ira accounts out of your grasp.
On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 3:44 PM,
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