Dear Mr. Bolling :
Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for the United States National Health Insurance Act, H.R. 676. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome your input.
The United States National Health Insurance Act is a legislative proposal to extend publicly financed, privately delivered health care to all Americans. The proposal would extend Medicare, an existing federal program aimed at those who otherwise could not afford care, to all Americans. H.R. 676 is just one of several proposals to achieve universal coverage that Congress is considering, in addition to proposals put forth by various Presidential candidates. I share your support for universal healthcare and I am studying each of these proposals to reach that goal. I am pleased that this debate is taking place, as it casts a spotlight on an issue that I believe is among the most pressing priorities our nation faces. In the richest nation on earth, no one should go without good, affordable care.
Health care is a basic human right, and we know from experience that those without insurance are far less likely to obtain timely care. Even for those lucky enough to have employer provided insurance, navigating the Byzantine system of HMOs an d PPOs can be a daunting task. Approximately 45 million Americans lack health insurance, 9 million of whom are under the age of 18, and millions more don't have adequate coverage. I am most disturbed by the fact that America allows millions of children to grow up without adequate access to modern medicine. We as a nation have the ability, and the moral obligation, to ensure that all our citizens have access to health care regularly, especially our children and most vulnerable population, and not just when a medical problem necessitates a trip to the e mergency r oom.
Congress is expected to act this year to reauthorize the State Children Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). S-CHIP currently provides coverage for over 750,000 California children from low and middle income families, as well as coverage for pregnant women and families. S-CHIP has been highly successful since its enactment in 1997, and California has experienced great successes in getting children enrolled in the Healthy Families program and keeping them that way. Inadequate health care for children has additional costs - how can we ask a student to concentrate in class when they are suffering from a toothache or untreated asthma? Giving children access to the health care that so many of us take for granted is one of my top priorities in Congress.
Since coming to Congress, I have helped to enroll many of my constituents in available programs, such as Medi -Cal and Healthy Families. Many of those eligible for these programs don't know it, and end up forgoing help to which they are entitled. We also have enlisted information technologies to make the enrollment process simpler.
I will be closely monitoring the debate in Congress, and will continue pushing to address the disparities in health care in America in a way that is affordable for all Americans and doesn't sacrifice quality of care. I firmly believe that a solution can be found so that we can achieve universal care, and I look forward to hearing more from you as the House debates this issue.
An on-going job of a Representative in Congress is to help constituents solve problems with federal agencies, access services, and get their questions answered promptly. On my website, I offer a detailed guide to the services my office can provide to you as a constituent. I also encourage you to subscribe to the Washington Update, my email newsletter which contains information on local events, my work in Washington , and even lets you weigh in on important issues through online polls. Visit me online at http://schiff.house.gov to subscribe. Please know that you can always reach me at (626) 304-2727 or via my website if I can ever be of additional assistance.
Thank you again for your thoughts. I hope you will continue to share your views and ideas with me.
Sincerely,
Adam B. Schiff
Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for the United States National Health Insurance Act, H.R. 676. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome your input.
The United States National Health Insurance Act is a legislative proposal to extend publicly financed, privately delivered health care to all Americans. The proposal would extend Medicare, an existing federal program aimed at those who otherwise could not afford care, to all Americans. H.R. 676 is just one of several proposals to achieve universal coverage that Congress is considering, in addition to proposals put forth by various Presidential candidates. I share your support for universal healthcare and I am studying each of these proposals to reach that goal. I am pleased that this debate is taking place, as it casts a spotlight on an issue that I believe is among the most pressing priorities our nation faces. In the richest nation on earth, no one should go without good, affordable care.
Health care is a basic human right, and we know from experience that those without insurance are far less likely to obtain timely care. Even for those lucky enough to have employer provided insurance, navigating the Byzantine system of HMOs an d PPOs can be a daunting task. Approximately 45 million Americans lack health insurance, 9 million of whom are under the age of 18, and millions more don't have adequate coverage. I am most disturbed by the fact that America allows millions of children to grow up without adequate access to modern medicine. We as a nation have the ability, and the moral obligation, to ensure that all our citizens have access to health care regularly, especially our children and most vulnerable population, and not just when a medical problem necessitates a trip to the e mergency r oom.
Congress is expected to act this year to reauthorize the State Children Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). S-CHIP currently provides coverage for over 750,000 California children from low and middle income families, as well as coverage for pregnant women and families. S-CHIP has been highly successful since its enactment in 1997, and California has experienced great successes in getting children enrolled in the Healthy Families program and keeping them that way. Inadequate health care for children has additional costs - how can we ask a student to concentrate in class when they are suffering from a toothache or untreated asthma? Giving children access to the health care that so many of us take for granted is one of my top priorities in Congress.
Since coming to Congress, I have helped to enroll many of my constituents in available programs, such as Medi -Cal and Healthy Families. Many of those eligible for these programs don't know it, and end up forgoing help to which they are entitled. We also have enlisted information technologies to make the enrollment process simpler.
I will be closely monitoring the debate in Congress, and will continue pushing to address the disparities in health care in America in a way that is affordable for all Americans and doesn't sacrifice quality of care. I firmly believe that a solution can be found so that we can achieve universal care, and I look forward to hearing more from you as the House debates this issue.
An on-going job of a Representative in Congress is to help constituents solve problems with federal agencies, access services, and get their questions answered promptly. On my website, I offer a detailed guide to the services my office can provide to you as a constituent. I also encourage you to subscribe to the Washington Update, my email newsletter which contains information on local events, my work in Washington , and even lets you weigh in on important issues through online polls. Visit me online at http://schiff.house.gov to subscribe. Please know that you can always reach me at (626) 304-2727 or via my website if I can ever be of additional assistance.
Thank you again for your thoughts. I hope you will continue to share your views and ideas with me.
Sincerely,
Adam B. Schiff
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