CCCC Letter to Congressmen Wu, Schrader and other federal officials

March 18, 2010

Dear Congressman Wu,

On behalf of Clackamas County Republicans, I am writing to convey our alarm and deep concerns about the Democrat’s health insurance legislation you are considering.

The American people want government by consent of the governed.

These are a partial list of our concerns:

• Cost of the Democrat health insurance legislation.  Minority Whip Eric Cantor said it best:  “We just cannot afford this.”  The White House claims the plan will save $100 billion over 10 years and $1 trillion over 20 years, but the Wall Street Journal reports a cost of $950 billion in the first 10 years with rising costs in years following.  The Congressional Budget Office is unable to give a clear cost for this complex bill.  We cannot incur this heavy debt when the nation is already facing trillions of dollars in debt.
  

• Who pays for the Democrat health insurance legislation.  Everyone will see increased taxes or costs in some way. Your plan includes an increase in the Medicare payroll tax for single earners;  taxes on branded drugs and health insurers; excise taxes on “high value” health plans and joint earners; changes in health savings accounts with increased penalties for early non-qualified withdrawals; taxes on manufacturers or importers of medical devices; mandates on small business employers to provide health coverage or pay a penalty per employee; mandate on individuals to get coverage or pay a penalty; and more.  The Democrat health insurance legislation will increase cost burdens on business at a time when our economy is at a crisis; when businesses should be receiving assistance and support they are seeing penalties, regulations and restrictions.
  

• Inefficiency of a government entitlement program. The CBO reports your plan will reduce access to care or diminish quality of care.  Many will lose high quality employer health care when the company chooses to pay the penalty in lieu of mandated employee health care. Taxes are imposed now, but benefits are not provided until the distant future.  Corruption and fraud are evident, especially in the government run Medicare and Medicaid plans.  We do not want an even larger government entitlement program replacing our present private health care system. Correct the problems in the current system instead of adding more skyrocketing costs. 
  

• Impact on Medicare and Seniors. Deductibles in Medicare have already doubled. Social Security payments are increasing. Medicare coverage will be curtailed as more and more private insurance plans can no longer compete and people are forced into the government run plan. 
  

• Political decisions with practical ramifications. Rather than looking out for the financial well-being of American citizens, decisions are being made to include illegal residents into the health insurance plans which would simply encourage this ever growing population. These medical costs are passed onto the taxpayer which further strains the financial stability of the health care community. 
  

• Stop the “backroom” deals.  Americans have become totally disgusted and distrustful of the process being used by our elected officials.
  

• Avoid discrimination.  The bill would tax non-union workers for health plans but not the “Cadillac” plans provided for many union members. 
  

• A bipartisan plan will work best for the American people.  At the Healthcare Summit in February a number of options were brought forward by Republicans.  We urge you to abandon the reconciliation procedure and draw both parties together. Fashion a better health plan that will not bankrupt the nation but provide less costly and improved healthcare options based on the free market system.
  

Respectfully,

Tom Devanney, Chairman
Clackamas County Republican Party, Executive Committee

cc: Michael Steele, RNC Chairman

      Bob Tiernan, ORP Chairman