This is an open letter from a number of constituent groups, all of whom share significant concerns about the many vital issues we face and the wholly inadequate amount of time you have allotted to the Town Hall on March 31. One hour doesn’t provide a fair chance to discuss our concerns and hear your views. We are concerned about these major items, among others:
Repeal of the Affordable Care Act and replacement with a bill that will cost Maryland $2 Billion annually, substantially increase those who are uninsured and increase the cost of health care. These are just a few of the many groups that oppose the current bill:
American Medical Association – “the replacement bill, as written, would reverse the coverage gains achieved under the ACA, causing many Americans to lose the health care coverage they have come to depend upon.”
American Hospital Association & Federation of American Hospitals: “As lawmakers work to re-examine this law, patients and the caregivers who serve them across America are depending on Congress to make continued coverage a priority. We believe that any changes to the ACA must be guided by ensuring that we continue to provide health care coverage for the tens of millions of Americans who have benefitted from the law. We are pleased that so many in Congress also recognize the need to preserve patient coverage.”
AARP “…opposes this legislation, as introduced, that would weaken Medicare, leaving the door open to a voucher program that shifts costs and risks to seniors.”
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network “ACS CAN has long advocated that any changes to the health care law should provide equal or better coverage for cancer prevention, treatment and follow-up care than what is currently available. These bills have the potential to significantly alter the affordability, availability and quality of health insurance available to cancer patients and survivors. Changing the income-based subsidy to a flat tax credit, combined with reducing the standards for quality insurance could return cancer patients to a world where many are unable to afford meaningful insurance or are left to buy coverage that doesn’t meet their health needs.”
“In 2015, approximately 1.5 million people with a history of cancer between 18-64 years old relied on Medicaid for their insurance. Nearly one-third of childhood cancer patients are insured through Medicaid at the time of diagnosis. The proposed repeal of Medicaid expansion along with significant federal funding changes could leave the nation’s lowest income cancer patients without access to preventive, c”rative and follow-up health care.”
National Partnership Women and Families: “House Republicans’ Affordable Care Act repeal bill would wreak havoc on our health care system by making health coverage more expensive and inadequate for millions of women and families. The shroud of secrecy surrounding the Republicans’ process and their attempt to sneak through a bill that would have such a devastating impact, without allowing anyone to review it, is shameful.”
“Now that the bill has been revealed, it is clear why Republicans didn’t want people to see it. Their proposal radically overhauls and cuts Medicaid while simultaneously gutting the ACA by repealing financial assistance for low-income families and making it harder for people to afford coverage. It also defunds Planned Parenthood from the Medicaid program, denying 2.5 million people access to essential health care.”
“Moreover, the Republican bill interferes with women’s ability to make health care decisions by making abortion coverage inaccessible. It would harshen and expand already harmful abortion coverage restrictions, denying women the ability to access the care they need.”
Over 50 organizations oppose the proposed healthcare plan that will make Americans will pay more for less. The list includes nurses, doctors, hospitals, teachers, churches, and more. You can see a few here:
https://cooper.house.gov/groups-opposing-republican-health-plan
Why did you co-sponsor H.R. 610 to take funding away from public education through vouchers, repeal the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and limit the authority of the Department of Education (ED) to award block grants to qualified states. Why did you, as a physician, co-sponsor a Bill that repeals nutrition standards for national school lunch and breakfast programs? Why repeal standards that require schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat free milk in school meals, reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat and meet children’s nutritional needs? Whose side are you on?
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/610
H.R.861 – a bill to terminate the Environmental Protection Agency. Your constituents are entitled to know where you stand on efforts to eliminate environmental protection of the Chesapeake Bay, its rivers, steams, and farmlands. Whose side are you on?
This is just a partial list of our concerns. If you have a genuine interest in listening to your constituents, we demand you allot at least 3 hours to the Town Hall to hear our concerns and explain your views.
We have sent copies of this letter to news organizations throughout the 1st District and expect your early and positive response.
Thank you.
Talbot Rising
Michael Pullen
Together We Will, Delmarva
Emily Jackson
Deborah Collins Krueger
Michele Copper
Together We Will, Harford County
DeLane Lewis
Easton Huddle
Naomi M. Hyman
Kent and Queen Anne’s County Indivisible
Erin Anderson
Kitty Maynard
Talbot County Democratic Women’s’ Club
Lesley Israel
The Eastern Shore PAC for Social And Economic Justice
Meredith Girard
Michele Drostin
Lauren Harton
Kent County Democratic Central Committee
Pamela White
Md. 1st Dist. Indivisible,
New Harford Dem. Club
Allison Galbraith
Md 1st Dist. Indivisible
Baltimore County
Kirk Fairfield
African American Democrats
of Maryland
James A. Sweeting, III, Esq.
Dorchester Indivisible
Mike Brown
Indivisible Worcester Maryland
Susan Buyer, Toby Perkins
Maryland 1st Congressional District Resistance
Joseph Riedel
Bipartisan Alliance for Democracy, Eastern Shore
Maureen Johnston
Queen Anne’s Co. Dem. Central Committee
Elaine Mcneil
Indivisible, Harford County
Irene Whalen
Wicomico County Progressive Caucus
Michael A. Feldman
UMBC Progressives
John Fischer says
Harris erred in first offering only a telephone town meeting then agreeing to an in-person meeting of only one hour.
He should have offered a two- or three-hour in-person session to provide ample opportunity for progressive groups such as most listed here to embarrass and disgrace themselves by shouting him down each time he tried to speak as similar groups have done each time his colleagues have agreed to such exchanges.
Julie Imirie says
Congressman Harris, as a member of the Freedom Caucus, didn’t like the Healthcare Bill either. Kinda bursts your bubble. Guess you don’t need that 3 hours you DEMANDED after all, since that point is moot. (Oh and by the way, school choice through vouchers IS public education, not just private high tuition schools for rich Democrats’ kids.)
Barbara Denton says
Obamacare has decimated many families who can no longer afford health care. The lowest policy bronze care provides for a $6000 deductible before there is any insurance coverage. Congress proceeded to steal 800 billion dollars from Medicare to give to Obamacare. The older population had its insurance coverage stole to provide for Medicaid and those who do not have enough income to pay for Obamacare. Obamacare is a disaster and cannot be sustained. It needs to be repealed. Insurance regulation should be returned to the states where it belongs. This is not a Federal matter. Socialized medicine does not work. It has never worked and it will never work. No one has ever been refused medical care. There are means to cover those with low incomes and preexisting conditions. 35 states had these pools before the Dims lied and said these people could not get insurance. The best bad examples of socialized medicine are the VA, Canada and England. It has started here for medical patients. Months to get a check-up as there are minimums for how many Medicare patients can be seen per week. Do not be fooled into thinking the Republican leadership bill was good. It was very bad and resulted in Obamacare lite. The finger pointing has begun We did not elect a Republican House, Senate and President to be saddled with Obamacare Lite. Again, medical insurance regulation belongs in the individual states and the insurance policies belong in the free market. It is time to get the government out of our healthcare. It has already gone down hill. Stop the slide now.