Published: November 22, 2009 01:06 am      

LETTERS: November 22, 2009

Despite Rep. Hill’s claims, reader believes Medicare will be affected

I read the article in the Sunday newspaper where Baron Hill stated that health care reform won’t cut into Medicare. He also stated that groups such as 60 Plus Association have deceived the people with misinformation.

I have newsletters, letters and newspaper articles from groups such as Presidential Coalition, Senior Coalition, the Heritage Foundation, Christian Senior Voters Association, National Center for Policy Analysis, as well as people, even some doctors being interviewed on television, stating that Medicare will be affected!

Rep. Hill stated that money can be saved by cutting down on fraud and waste. For years I have heard about fraud and waste in Medicare, and fraud, waste and corruption in most areas of government, but nothing has been done to correct this. If it so easily corrected, why hasn’t it been done before?

Rep. Jim Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, is also quoted in the newspaper article. Please explain to me how two people can have such differing views on the same bill? What is Rep. Hill’s solution to the unfunded liabilities in Medicare of $37 trillion and $35 trillion in Medicaid? Also, explain to me how under health care reform 36 million new people are to be covered and still provide the same services at the same cost?

These numbers simply do not add up!

Congress has been trying for 40 years to pass health care reform. Did it ever occur to Congress that maybe, just maybe, the people don’t want health care reform. Also, don’t forget over one million people showed up in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 12 trying to tell Congress we don’t want government taking over our health care system!

I would like to know how government plans to take over health care and run it efficiently and cost effective. They have not run the U. S. Post Office very cost effectively, as it is deeply in debt, as is Medicaid and Medicare. UPS and Fed Ex make a profit — why can’t the post office make a profit?

A small program like Cash for Clunkers was not even run efficiently. The IRS hasn’t even collected back taxes from the man who was appointed to head this department. Can anyone give me just one instance where the government has run a program efficiently and cost effectively?

Rep. Hill ignored many people of southern Indiana with his vote for Health Care Reform. Even Governor Daniels asked Rep. Hill not to vote for this bill as it would cost the State of Indiana greatly.

— Donna Schad, New Albany