Sen. Bill Nelson is taking action on health care

Obama sets details; now it's time to act | Sept. 10, editorial

Moving forward on health care

You were right to commend President Barack Obama for providing some clear answers in his speech Wednesday night about his views on health care reform — and, to call on Congress to get back to work on the issue.

I found it interesting that what the president described is pretty close to the draft of a bill I'm helping prepare as a member of the Senate Finance Committee. That legislation is due to be unveiled next week.

In essence, it will let folks happy with their insurance keep it. But it also will create an exchange, a marketplace, where those without coverage, or those who are unhappy with what they have, can get it at an affordable price.

The bill also will hold insurers' feet to the fire by requiring them to cover everyone and preventing them from dropping someone if they get sick. Additionally, it will contain several measures aimed at reducing overall medical and prescription drug costs and eliminating waste and fraud in the system.

I still intend to offer several significant amendments to the legislation, which, among other things, will help pay for the improvements and expansion of health care reforms. One of my amendments would require drugmakers to provide rebates to Medicare, just like they do to Medicaid. This would save Medicare a ton of money. Further, by eliminating the tax break drugmakers get for TV advertising, we would see another $37 billion over the next years to pay for health care.

The St. Petersburg Times is to be commended for recognizing the president's contribution, and for calling on Congress to take action.

Bill Nelson, U.S. senator, Washington, D.C.

Obama's health care speech

President's proposals are a pipe dream

President Barack Obama's speech to Congress Wednesday night was his usual long-winded, excellently presented presentation with a bunch of flowery words but with no content or meaning. His statement about making sure everyone is medically covered, reducing costs for those of us who are currently covered, increasing the quality of care, all while reducing the overall cost of health care has to be a pipe dream. Especially when the CBO has estimated that government-controlled health care will cost at least $1 trillion over the next 10 years.

Also, Obama seems to get his numbers mixed up. He claims there are about 47 million people without health care and yet he claims that it would not cover illegals while the 47 million uninsured includes as many as an estimated 10 million illegals. What a farce!

Dayle Stevens, Largo

It's time to band together

An article by Sarah Palin in the Sept. 9 Wall Street Journal reminds us of Ronald Reagan's words that "no one in this country should be denied medical care because of a lack of funds."

I think most would agree it is wrong that so many Americans die every year because they lack the insurance that enables most of us to obtain health care. President Barack Obama has outlined a plan to provide coverage to all and offered to work with those who disagreed with him to forge the details.

It seems to me that a basic sense of morality requires that all of us, Republicans and Democrats, band together to ensure that health insurance becomes a reality for all our citizens.

Richard Rolfes, St. Petersburg

McCollum steps into health care debate Sept. 9, story

Don't listen to scare tactics

Bill McCollum is trying to get on the bandwagon with the uninformed conservative faction, hoping to capitalize on the fears raised by Limbaugh, Beck and Fox News. Think about it: People on Medicare have their free choice of doctors, there is no official standing between them and their physician, or saying what treatments or tests they can / can't have. This is the kind of government-run health care the Democrats suggest would help level the playing field with big insurance, making sure the 47 million Americans without health care insurance will be covered.

It's big insurance that really operates "death panels," leaving the uninsured to die by the thousands for lack of care. It's big insurance helping to run Americans into the ditch financially (refusing insurance for pre-existing conditions, leaving uninsured with medical bills that bankrupt them and cause them to lose their homes). It's big insurance that gets between the doctor and his/her patients, and decides what tests or surgeries will/won't be covered.

We Floridians have to be smarter than to listen to scare tactics.

Mary Hollinger, Tampa

McCollum steps into health care debate Sept. 9

Orwellian words

The quote from Attorney General Bill McCollum is not only a marvel of twisted syntax, it also deserves the "George Orwell" prize in the category of most misleading quote from a politician running for office. He is, at once, opposed to the government option in health care, calling it "socialized" and then, miraculously, in favor of existing Medicare/Medicaid programs. Additionally, he criticizes the proposed universal coverage as "limiting."

How much health care does he think the huge number of uninsured persons receive now?

Tom Carey, Esq., Clearwater

A day to fly the flag

This day should never be forgotten: Sept. 11, 2001.

In the days and weeks that followed 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags. Our citizens mourned shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism.

Sadly, a great number of flags have disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through tough times and it should galvanize us in solidarity once again. The American flag is the fabric of our country, and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.

Think about it: What a terrible, disastrous calamity and what havoc, as well as ruination, was perpetrated on our country. We must honor the thousands who lost their lives or their loved ones and endured the pain of this assault on our country. We can do this by displaying the American flag on this day. America will prevail.

Today, fly an American flag of any size. Let us show the world that we can honor our Americans who died on 9/11 — Sept. 11, 2001.

Jack Keller Sr., Belleair Bluffs