Worried about health care? Call Rubio and let him know

Once again, the GOP has tried and failed to repeal and replace (or even just repeal) the Affordable Care Act. When will they finally admit that they cannot do it and begin the real work of fixing our healthcare system? Instead of trying to roll back a plan that has allowed millions of Americans to obtain healthcare, it is time to work with Democrats to provide universal healthcare like many other countries enjoy.

I particularly appreciated the comments by Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins when explaining her vote. She stated that “we’re dealing with an issue that affects millions of Americans and one sixth of our economy…(we need to receive) input from expert witnesses such as actuaries, governors, advocacy groups, and health care providers.” She also said that the process needs to include “our colleagues on both sides of the aisle.” This is what I have been saying to Sen. Marco Rubio through calls and e-mails for months. Unfortunately, we are not blessed in Florida with a thoughtful, reasonable Republican Senator like Collins, Murkowski or McCain.

My fear now is that the GOP, at the urging of Trump, will do everything in their power to destroy the ACA by withholding payments to insurance companies (the cost-sharing reductions that allows the program to work) and not enforcing the individual mandate that keeps the insurance markets solvent. What they don’t seem to get is that when they talk like this, they are talking about people’s lives.

Those of us who are concerned about this need to be calling Rubio daily (305-418-8553) and insisting that he think about the people of Florida, not the wealthy donors who want their tax breaks. It is time that our country’s government live up to the promise of the Preamble to the Constitution: “to promote the general Welfare.”

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Worried about health care? Call Rubio and let him know."