Berkeley Man Disagrees With MacArthur's Healthcare Stance

A note of introduction, my name is Thomas J. Meehan III, a 74-year old veteran, member of the Disabled American Veterans, a Gold Star Family Member and a 9/11 Family member.

My wife and I have been residents in Ocean County for approximately 12 years, and like Mr. MacArthur, we have endured family losses, including an infant when we were first married and a daughter lost at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

The loss of a child is something that those that have endured it, travel their own paths to recovery. Speaking of the losses is something I share with the Congressman, as it often is the way to communicate the life experiences.

That said, I am not a supporter of the Congressman. While I understand his letter to the editor, he continues to fail in the goal of explaining not only his support of the AHCA, but why he crafted an amendment which in my view provides a loophole for the issue of pre-existing conditions and also changes the cost to seniors.

The issue of pre-existing conditions is highly explosive in how people react to what is being offered by the House version of the AHCA.

An analysis of the AHCA states that the act does in fact roll back protections for pre-existing conditions and increase the costs to over 130 million Americans. It does this by stating that the individual states can allow insurers to charge more for pre-existing conditions and under certain conditions set up high-risk pools.

True insurers cannot outright deny coverage , but they can raise premiums to an unaffordable amount, in fact pricing people out of the marketplace.

The list of ailments of pre-existing conditions used to deny coverage could be greatly expanded, thus allowing insurers to raise premiums on even more ailments and pricing people out of the market place.
The amendment Mr. MacArthur authored is one that you can only wonder while representing the largest number of communities of seniors he would write an increase of what they can be charged without limits.

Lastly are two things the Congressman has yet to answer to many voters satisfaction. If the AHCA is so superior to Obamacare, why is it not made mandatory for members of Congress and the Senate? Eliminate their private plans for what is contained in this bill.

I cannot close my comments without the observation that Republicans continue to self-inflict damage by pronouncements being made such as:

Rep. Warren, whose response to a mother was to tell her that her son should get a
better job if he wants better coverage when Obamacare is repealed.

Rep. Labrador statement: “Nobody dies because they don’t have access to health
care”
OBM Director Mulvaney statement “Diabetics don’t deserve Health Care”

My mother died a terrible death after multiple amputations due to the ravages of this disease. It did not matter how she became afflicted, but that she suffered a long and painful death. I myself was recently diagnosed as a diabetic.

These offerings serve no purpose but to result in the expressions of anger and disbelief when facing politicians who accuse them of being outside agitators or members of the opposition, Democrat, Republican or Independent.

Congress MacArthur would do better to being honest the effects of his amendment.

Time will only tell if the Republican majority of the Senate, rewrite this bill and does no harm to those in need most, those suffering with pre-existing conditions and the poor and marginalized segments of our population.

Image: Patch file photo.