"Things that make you go hmmm"

A letter from Senator Al Franken or should I say Wanna B Senator?

2010-03-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

February 25, 2010Dear Anne,

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, wrote:

Are you kidding me?

2009-10-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

We have a president who can't make up his mind and listen to his military advisers? Meanwhile, troops are being killed every day? Does he care? I would say um no, he would rather be unsuccessfully flying 2 jets to Denmark and negotiating for Chicago to get the olympics? I am so glad Rio got that. What we should be doing isn't being done. Now to top things off another bailout for GM and Chrysler? IF they couldn't turn it around on the last bailout they recieved maybe they should look at the union. Ford hasn't recieved 1 taxpayer dollar and they are holding their own. Since the bailout the other 2 have dropping profits and etc. Maybe the government should have taxpayer involvement since we put them in office and make them take a 90 percent paycut. How would they like that? Bernanke is a ripoff artist as well. They keep saying the recession is over well how can that be? More jobs are being eliminated and the banks are not loaning money. This is rediculous. The campaigne promises are empty and this administration has an agenda the American people do not want. I didn't vote for this president because he kept saying hope and change but revealed nothing on how he was going to accomplish this. Now countless speeches later with no action look at where we are? Failed government programs, like Cash for Clunkers? The best thing that came out of that is it got many obama stickers off the road. The post office can't deliver letters without costing the taxpayers lots of money in bailouts. What about the people? The very people who supposedly elected him? They sure got the hope and change. What hope? What change? just more of the same empty promises. I would rather have former MN Governor Jesse Ventura in the office of president then this fool. Pelosi and Reid don't even know what they are saying either they all just need to go I think we should impeach the first family and then fire the staff out they go.

Things that make me sick!!!

2009-10-19T03:55:00.000-07:00

Target gets into trouble for a costume! When Xcel energy won't even talk to people they are responsible for almost killing. What is so wrong with this picture? 3 cars hit with a fallen electrical line and Target is apologizing to illegal aliens? For a costume which i personally found quite humorous. My dad was leagalized in 1967 why can't these idiots do the same? Or freaking get out of the country and off my taxes. I think they should go home if they don't like it. We left England for some of these reasons that are now not politically correct well I am sorry you came to my country to live here illegally either get your legal green card or leave. You are taking are precious jobs, not paying taxes so therefore you should not have a say in a free enterprise system. This is just rediculus. So either get off your butt and get your green card or leave the choice is now yours. If you can't get one don't whine about how unfair life is.

The Whitehouse, Senate and House of Representatives

2009-09-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

I think that the idiots who are running Washington DC, should be all fired or or thrown into jail. They think that increasing the length of time you can get unemployment is only encourging those who are unemployed to stay that way? How out of touch are these idiots? The job market is tanking and you are claiming this recession is over? People are hurting financially and you want to increase taxes. How do intend to get blood out of a turnip? You eliminate jobs, increase taxes and can't figure out how people are continuing to lose their homes? What are you stupid? Maybe if you didn't have theives in the Whitehouse we could recover a whole lot faster? The private sector is the sect who put this collection of losers in office and they continue to insult our intelligence, call us names and continue to take our money. Well people it is time to turn the tables and start impeachment for Obama and Pelosi and the proper place for them is Jail to the military extent.

I Love being Insulted by my own Government

2009-09-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

How Dare!!! The President himself, go on TV and treat every American as if they hve no intelligence. I can't believe the nerve of this administration. Right now he has insulted the very people who were foolish enough to believe in his spiel of "Hope and Change" Like that happened I think he, Pelosi, and Reid and the rest of the White House staff should be forced into stepping down then taken directly to jail under our current millitary structure, and treated like the anti American terrorists they are. I can't believe that this president plays the race card everytime there is a difference he can't handle. The stimulus was so needed to do what? Oh Yeah create jobs and bring back the spending confidence, well I have unemployed for over 2 years and I never recieved any unemployment because my last employer lied to the state of MN. The only thing this president has done is get up on tv time after time and throw around a lot of pretty words with a lot of emptiness behind them. Where are the jobs? Why are we not deporting the illegals and the legal immigrants with terrorist ties? Where is this president's birth certificate? I want my money back and I want answers as to why this president thinks that "Big Government" which is known to fail will work. Has he completely lost his mind? Does he think that he will not be expected to step down? Well I for one think we should elliminate the house and senate as well as the gypsy, crooks and thieves in the whitehouse and then we can rebuild the government to be the way the constitution and bill of rights were laid out to be.