Pass The Health Plan- What There Is Left Of The Initial Proposal

THE DOCTOR IS IN
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LAS VEGAS- Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

I have been asked to offer my view and opinion on the health care issue. So, here goes. I'm still disappointed with the Blue Dog Democrats that have been fighting tooth and nail with the rest of their party and President Obama. We voted the Democrats into office for change but it appears that once some of these Dems were elected they disregarded the peoples wishes and immediately cast their votes against Obama's programs. Instead of sticking together and pushing Obama's agenda they chose to buckle under and held their hand out to the lobbyists and special interests while begging for money for their reelection war chest. It's really unsettling that the Democrats cannot work in lock step like the Republicans. The Democrats have a majority and really own Washington but they refuse to hold together to pass legislation for the good of the party and the people of the country.

As the health care bill stands now I say we have to pass what we have. It really isn't much but it is better than nothing and we will have a starting point to build on.

When the health plan is passed it really won't affect the vast majority of the people that already have insurance. Their insurance will not change at all. They can keep what they have. Only about ten percent of the people in the country will have to use the insurance exchange program for coverage. The plan will insure at least 30 million more people and for those people that already have insurance and like the coverage they currently have this health plan will provide them an extra layer of security and protect them in the event they lose their job or get sick and the health plan will protect all of us against insurance company abuses.

Yes, the current health plan as presented will save billions of dollars over the next couple of decades. I have to say that the Obama administration is working very hard to save money and hold costs down.The administration is working very closely with the CBO (Congressional Budget Office)trying to pinch pennies and squeeze out each and every dime of saving they can agree on. That's a far cry from what the party of "No", the Republicans, did. Remember the Prescription Drug program that was pushed through under George Bush and his administration not too many years ago. I think it was and still is a bad program. The Bush administration sided with the pharmaceutical companies and did a number on us taxpayers. The Prescription Drug plan fell far short of what could have been done for all of the people in this country relating to their medication needs. In any event, the Republicans refused to work closely with the CBO to save any money for the taxpayer. Instead of protecting the taxpayer Bush and his Republicans chose to just add the billions of dollars the program cost to the deficit. There was no interest by that political party to deal with the CBO. Bush and his cohorts idea of lawmaking at the time was to just add everything to the deficit.

I would have rather seen the Obama administration, from the very beginning, have more back bone and insist on a public option instead of trying to get the Republicans on board. It was clearly obvious from the start that the Republican party was determined to scuttle any and all legislation and policy that was offered up by the Democrats and President Obama fell down on the job by letting the Republicans manipulate him by hollow promises to go along. And, - that's my opinion.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com