Sarbanes, Again, Dodges the Question

My Congressman, John Sarbanes, (D MD3) once again dodeges the simple question I asked. Here is my reply to his longwinded non-answer:

Mr. Sarbanes,
You have yet again dodged my question. If your health care plan is so good, WHY is Congress, all their employees, all federal employees, and employees of the Executive branch specifically exempted from coverage? If you want to screw around with health care, then YOU MUST ACCEPT FOR YOUR FAMILY THE SAME PLAN YOU ARE FOISTING ON THE REST OF AMERICA.

To do less is to be hypocritical. When you can answer this that you personally will accept this plan for your family, then I will do so for mine.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Vail
Pikesville, MD 21208


“Pray that you will never have to bear all that you are able to endure.”
Jewish Proverb


In a message dated 8/14/2009 9:35:52 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, md03ima@mail.house.gov writes:

August 13, 2009

Dear Dr. Vail:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about the "public option" health plan proposed in health reform legislation being considered in the Congress. As a member of the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I have been fully engaged in this debate since the beginning of the year and I appreciate the opportunity to address this issue.
First, I want to be clear that this proposal is not a radical attempt to eliminate private health insurance in favor of a government run system. If you like your doctor and your current plan, you can absolutely keep them if this proposal becomes law. Members of Congress will receive no special treatment under the bill and will be afforded the opportunity to retain the health plan they share with two million other federal workers if they choose to do so.
For those who do not have health insurance, are looking to change plans, or are worried that they will lose their coverage because of their job, there will be a new framework in place to give you options. The bill creates a health care exchange where individuals can choose from multiple plans and benefit from access to the kind of group rates that only large employers can offer now. This approach will also make health insurance more "portable" and give Americans the assurance that they can continue to receive health care if they change jobs, are laid off, or simply don't like the plan offered through their employer.
Along with the many plans offered in the exchange by familiar private insurers, there will also be a public health plan option that will offer some long-overdue competition for the private health insurance industry that currently has a stranglehold on the system. Enhanced competition in the health care market will reduce cost, promote innovation and provide recourse for those who are currently without coverage. The "public option" makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, it has been wildly mischaracterized as a "government takeover." This has been flatly refuted by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, which projects that the public plan will draw approximately twelve million participants by 2019. That's large enough to help influence best practices and push private insurers to provide consumers with quality service, but at 4% of the total population of our country, it's about as far from a "government takeover" as you can get.
It is natural to feel anxious about these reform efforts because health care policy touches every American family in a very personal way. That is why this dialogue is important. But I believe we have a good bill. It is a measured approach that will preserve what works about the current system and fix what doesn't.
The proposed reform will ensure that you get what you pay for when you commit your hard earned money to pay premiums every month. For example, the bill will prohibit insurance companies from increasing your rates for pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation. It will cap annual out of pocket expenses and do away with lifetime limits on how much insurance companies will pay to cover. It guarantees affordable oral, hearing, and vision care for children. And it will do away with co-pays or deductibles for preventive care.
I hope this information is useful to you as the Congress continues to make progress on health care legislation. I believe it is possible to make intelligent reforms to our health care system that expand coverage and improve quality of care. I also believe there are many areas where we can reduce cost by eliminating wasted and making our system more efficient. The status quo is unsustainable for our economy and I am convinced that long term security will be elusive until we find out health care system. If you have access to the Internet and would like additional information about the health care reform bill, please visit the Energy and Commerce website at www.energycommerce.house.gov. If you have specific questions, feel free to contact my office at 410-832-8890.

Sincerely,
John Sarbanes
Member of Congress

As you can see, he just doesn't want to answer. Nor, interestingly enough is he going to hold any town halls. He is only going to hold "virtual" or teleconferences. I guess that he is afraid of actually talking to his constiuents. Imagine that, a public servant who doesn't want to face his voters.