Thanks or no thanks for Price’s votes

I have been proud to see the many letters thanking Rep. David Price for his vote for the House health care bill, as it signifies true participation by the voters. I do wonder if these thankful messages will still be there as we move forward.

Will those covered with private insurance be thankful for the premium increases due to mandatory coverage of pre-existing conditions without a tough, fully priced mandate for healthy young adults?

How thankful will seniors be as cuts in Medicare reduce quality and availability of health care for seniors who have paid Medicare taxes for more than 25 years (particularly impactful for newly retired baby boomers)?

I’m not certain small-business owners will thank Price for the new taxes this bill brings for every employee. These new costs will hurt creation of new jobs and depress wages of employees of many small businesses.

While it is true there is some relief for the smallest businesses, failure to index the dollar payroll limits will mean each year more small businesses move into an 8 percent tax on payroll just because they are successful and growing.

Finally I wonder how thankful these voters will be when the costs of exploding deficits resulting from this bill get passed to their children and grandchildren through higher interest rates and rising inflation, potentially resulting in lower living standards for the next generation.

Possibilities we need to consider as we look at the long-term impact of this “reform” to health care.

BOB JOHNSON

Chapel Hill

What type reform?

I have read in amazement all the letters over the past several days praising the passage of the health care bill by the House of Representatives and thanking David Price for having the “courage” to vote for it.

For starters, there is no way the bill will survive in its current form in the Senate. This piece of legislation is a total monstrosity and if it did pass it would be a disaster for our country.

This 2,000-page incomprehensible bill would lead to a government takeover of over one-sixth of our economy. Folks, this is not about health care, it is about increasing the role of government in our lives. Congress could care less about any of our health care, the only time they are concerned about us is when election time rolls around and they need our votes. These people are obsessed with power and will do anything to keep it. Apparently, this includes passing a bill at almost midnight on a Saturday after an unbelievable amount of arm twisting and back-room deals.

Most everyone wants some type of health care reform. The question is what type of reform? Enacting common-sense private-sector solutions, such as tort reform and allowing people to purchase health insurance across state lines will lower costs.

In addition, it will empower consumers by giving us more choices and will produce greater competition among health insurance companies, ending the monopolies some of these companies have. On the other hand, we could trust the government!

JASON CHAMBERS

Durham