EDITORIAL: CONGRESSMAN BILBRAY SIDE STEPS INVESTIGATION INTO THOUSANDS OF HEALTH CARE-RELATED DEATHS

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As Congress holds its hearing about Toyota recalls, and Rep. Brian Bilbray recently toured a Toyota dealership in Carlsbad, we need to ask a simple question. Why has Congress sat silently by while the private insurance industry has rushed to gouge us with exorbitant premium increases?

 

By Tracy Emblem

 

Between 2000 and 2009, there were only 34 deaths attributable to the Toyota vehicle defect. According to a recent 2009 Harvard Medical School study, nearly 45,000 people die each year in the United States -- one every 12 minutes -- mainly because people lack health insurance and cannot get health care.

 

Recently over 700,000 Anthem Blue Cross/California members received notice of a rate hike of 25-39 percent in premium costs. As a member of Anthem Blue Cross/California, I want to know "Why isn't Congress investigating the price gouging?" If Congress was really concerned with the number of deaths in our country, they should have acted quickly to save lives by calling an investigation into the recent escalating health care premiums.

 

While Do-Nothing Representatives like Bilbray fail to take action, the insurance industry holds us hostage to price increases and has American families locked in a strangle hold.

 

I am outraged because many critically ill people who rely on their health insurance to pay for their health care and prescription costs will not be able to continue to pay the escalating premiums in recessionary times and will lose coverage. The domino effect caused by Congress's failure to act will cause many more hundreds of deaths than Toyota’s faulty acceleration problem.

 

In addition to his blatant disregard for the health of the American people, Bilbray voted NO on the stimulus bill which included funding to modernize medical records which would help save lives. Doesn't Bilbray get it? Escalating health care costs are JOB KILLERS and PEOPLE KILLERS!"

 

CHANGE DEMANDS ACTION! Leadership means taking action. Real people need real solutions, not lip service. We must demand that Congress's health care benefits be SUSPENDED until Congress passes a bill that gives us a public option choice and expands Medicare with fair and equitable cost-containment.

 

I will fight for health care. You can read more about my position on health care at http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-08-10/news/tracy-emblem-the-politics-o... or visit my website at www.TracyEmblemForCongress.com

 

It’s time to put a "Do Not Resuscitate" Order on our Incumbent's Inaction!


Tracy Emblem is a Democratic candidate for the 50th Congressional District. The views in this editorial reflect the views of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. If you wish to submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

 


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