Letter: 'ObamaCare' only makes things worse

Dear Editor:

Unlike most other states, Montana’s U.S. senators can generally be counted on for a right of center voting record despite party affiliation. As such, it is shocking to see Democrat Sens. Jon Tester and Max Baucus voting for “ObamaCare.”

Here’s why: an independent auditing firm for Well Point insurance appears to be the first to make a financial audit of the new ObamaCare (keep in mind some insurance carriers are getting a sweetheart deal in all this).

They found that a 25-year-old will be forced to pay them 178 percent more than today. A small business with eight employees will see a 23 percent increase in insurance costs. A family of four rises by 106 percent.

The Dean of Harvard’s medical school, Dean Jeffrey Flier reports that ObamaCare will demolish “our capacity to innovate and develop new therapies” with a 33 percent increase in taxes levied against medical device manufacturer. Physicians Hospitals of America say ObamaCare will “destroy some of America’s best and safest hospitals” because it prohibits who hospitals can treat.

ObamaCare slashes doctor reimbursement rates by an astounding 21.5 percent next year. If you think doctors aren’t taking any new Medicare patients now, just wait until ObamaCare happens.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports ObamaCare “substantially reduces flexibility in terms of the types, prices, and number of private sellers of health insurance.”

Oh great … we don’t have enough competition between insurance companies in Montana as it is. ObamaCare makes that worse.

So, I ask why are Sens. Tester and Baucus voting for higher insurance rates, higher taxes, less safe hospitals, restrictions on who doctors can treat, reduced money for Medicare patients, and an overall reduction in insurance company competition, not to mention increasing the federal deficit? The only good thing is a ban on dropping people.

This is the Senate’s “Christmas present” for the people. They’re kidding right?

Rick Maedje

Fortine