Janet Betcher: Not buying your self-serving explanation for repealing healthcare
Dear Congressman Denham,
I emailed you on May 3 urging a “no” vote on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. This letter is my response to your reasons for repealing the ACA.
While I appreciate that I got a response from you, I am insulted by the explanations you gave for repealing the ACA. Further, they lay bare the short-sightedness of your “reasoning.” You state: “access issues that existed before the ACA have only gotten worse with the expanded coverage ... there is a disincentive for physicians to accept more patients who are covered by MediCal.”
Inadequate reimbursement wasn’t caused by the ACA. It was caused by an irrationally expensive and dysfunctional healthcare system. In fact, per Forbes magazine (July 21, 2014), the ACA’s implementation of accountable care organizations has the potential to reduce costs. You could lead healthcare reform for all your constituents, not just the rich ones. Instead, wealthy taxpayers will get tax cuts due to the “savings” created by cutting Medicaid!
Where is the “control over personal health choices” you claim to defend? The challenges of providing affordable healthcare for all are undeniable; your stated rationalizations for repealing the ACA are condescending and self-serving.
Janet Betcher, Modesto
This story was originally published June 30, 2017 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Janet Betcher: Not buying your self-serving explanation for repealing healthcare."