Open Letter to Congress on Healthcare

I URGE you NOT to vote in favor of a national healthcare system. We need to fine tune what we have, NOT go to a federally controlled program. The stampede to drive America toward a national healthcare system would be a disaster. Polls have shown that most people are satisfied with current health care coverage and the number of the current uninsured is grossly exaggerated. This is confirmed by credible independent sources such as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). We need fine tuning, not massive change.

The costs will be enormous adding over 1 trillion dollars to our already bankrupt nation. Warnings from Europeans and Canadians not to go to a national healthcare system are being ignored. It is widely recognized that the United States has the best healthcare in the world.

Following are suggestions on what we should do:
Put a limit on the amount of money in medical related lawsuits. Doctors currently pay exorbitant amounts of money for medical insurance, this can be significantly reduced.

Streamline and reduce paperwork for medical claims. A huge amount of cost and lack of focus on the primary medical purpose presently exists. This will also significantly reduce costs.

The cost of pharmaceutical products, drugs, have skyrocketed. This needs to be addressed, the current excuses for high cost should be questioned and action taken to reduce the high cost of drugs.

Hospital and medical center management needs to be improved significantly so that these costs can be significantly reduced.

Place stronger control over pharmaceutical and medical / healthcare lobbies in Washington that serve to heap billions upon billions on dollars on our nations healthcare costs through special interest legislation that does not help but only hinders and compounds the problem. This influence needs to be curtailed, it is damaging America.

Where the government can help is by providing incentives toward needed medical specialties in our country by offering financial assistance to students in the various medical professions and other types of assistance.

There needs to be severe criminal penalties against those who commit medical fraud, or those who attempt to take advantage of our country's healthcare system. Medical fraud adds significant cost to our nations healthcare at present, this needs to be addressed.

We should use the significant cost savings of those measures mentioned above to provide medical coverage for those Americans who are poor or otherwise uninsured, who not by choice lack insurance. Note this number is significantly less that currently claimed. There may be some who are wealthy or for other reasons desire not to have health insurance and that is their right in a free democracy.

We will be watching your leadership and vote very closely on this critical issue.