MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SEEMINGLY INDIFFERENT TO SUFFERING

An estimated up to 346 people die every week or between 22,000 and 40,000 die annually (depending on which study you access) from lack of health insurance. Thousands of people are losing their health insurance every day because they lost their job, couldn’t (or can't afford to) pay their premiums, or were kicked out by their health insurance company.

These events/occurrences are happening every day while our federal workers and members of Congress enjoy excellent health care benefits and other benefits at tax payer expense. We're entering flu season, and how many uninsured people will die from the H1N1 virus and other viruses.

It is shameful, morally reprehensible, and outrageous; but the tax payer (especially ignorant town hall protesters) seems not to care. They rail at government, but have not the guts to stand up and ask for equal treatment.

On the other hand, members of Congress seem unaware that they have government sponsored health insurance.

We pay about 72% of federal employees (and that includes members of Congress) health insurance premium. I'll say it again, ... the tax payer subsidizes 72% or slightly less of federal employees health insurance premium; and if you think about it, we really pay the entire premium because we pay federal employee’s wages and salary (from which, they pay their share of the balance of that premium).

You can see what I'm talking about, by going to the Federal Employees Health and Benefit website.

Are you looking? Great!... Also look at our federal employees (includes members of Congress) choice of health insurers (tax payer subsidized, of course). Sort of like a health insurance exchange … don’t you think?

What really irks me and is the most reprehensible, is that we (the tax payer) are making the health insurance companies richer and richer while they turn around and deny you and me (the tax payer) treatment, or insurance, or they kick us out after they’ve paid an expensive claim or series of claims (which by the way, they’ve reported to the medical information bureau [MIB] for other health insurance and life insurance company members to see … so those other companies can deny you insurance if they so choose).

So again, hundreds of people are dying every week and thousands losing their health insurance [every day] while health insurance companies (that Wendell Potter talks about) get richer and richer; all the while the tax payer pays members of Congress' health insurance premiums, wages, salary and other benefits.

Do you want this to continue? … Or are you going to tell your Congressman/woman or Senator that you want equal treatment (quality, affordable, comprehensive single payer or public option [in a regulated health insurance exchange]), or you’ll simply not support or vote for them ever again? It’s up to you. Make your choice.

Death by Lack of Health Insurance (2008)

Health Insurance Coverage National Coalition on Health Care (2009)

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Trends in Cost and Access (2004)

Wendell Potter (also see the entire 32 minute Bill Moyers Journal interview at CSC Blog)

Fact Sheet: April 14, 2009 Fact Sheet: Using a Health-Insurance Exchange to Pool Risk and Protect Enrollees