Bringing your thoughts to Washington (HealthCare Follow-Up)

Dear Friend,

Along with many of you tuning in from home, I had the privilege of watching President Obama address the Joint Congress last night to lay out our plan for providing quality, affordable health care to all Americans.

If you missed the speech, you can read it here, but the heart of a complicated plan is actually quite simple: stability, ability, and responsibility. We will provide stability for Americans who already have health insurance, the ability to get coverage for those who don't, while taking responsibility for our future, by reining in costs that are quickly spinning out of control, threatening to bankrupt families and businesses.

I'm writing today to thank you for your thoughts and let you know that I keep them with me in Washington and have passed them along to my colleagues and leadership.

Over 3,500 of you took our Health Care Survey. Your overwhelming response was very helpful in understanding how this issue is affecting you and your families personally. I listened closely to the 20% of you who said you didn't have insurance and were scared of getting sick or were postponing care because you couldn't afford it.

Sending a strong signal that the status quo isn't working, nearly 90% of you said our health care system needs reform now.

85% wanted Congress to prohibit insurance companies from not offering coverage to people with preexisting conditions.

65% of respondents said they supported a public option that would allow you to keep your current private plan and doctor if you're happy (and 50% said you were).

And that's just what we're going to continue fighting for.

As a parent, something the President said last night particularly struck me, and maybe it reached you too. He was relaying the words of Ted Kennedy, saying that the late Senator "was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance, what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent, there is something that could make you better, but I just can't afford it.

Thank you for your thoughts, and I hope you will continue to share them with me as I will continue to fight for you.

If I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to contact me at my offices listed below. I look forward to staying in touch.

Sincerely,


Mike Quigley