Pelosi's government takeover of healthcare hurts seniors (Rep. Frank Lucas)

No matter how many different ways she scores it, Speaker Pelosi’s health care legislation will cost the American taxpayers approximately one trillion dollars.  Right now, the federal government is running a deficit – fiscal year 2009 ended with the government more than $1.42 trillion in debt – and our national debt continues to climb every day.   

In order to pay for her almost trillion dollar federal government takeover of health care, Speaker Pelosi plans to make dramatic cuts to the Medicare program used by many of our senior citizens.  Cuts to Medicare will cause some health care providers to drop out of the program, limiting seniors’ access to this popular program and causing many to lose their current coverage.  In addition, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has stated that the Pelosi health care plan will increase seniors’ Medicare prescription drug premiums by 20 percent over the next ten years.  That means many of our seniors will no longer be able to afford the prescription drugs they need to survive.

So much for the President Obama’s promise, “If you like your plan, you can keep it.”

Millions of seniors take advantage of the Medicare program in this country today and most are very happy with their coverage.  However, under the Pelosi bill, seniors may be forced out of Medicare or incur higher costs and premiums.  And all of this to pay for a trillion dollar federal government takeover of our health care system that a majority of Americans do not support.  Is this really the way we should be treating our senior citizens? 

Reforms within our health care system are needed, but we should be focused on the areas that need the most attention: decreasing costs and increasing accessibility for rural Americans.  I will continue to fight against any health care legislation that includes the so-called “public option,” which really means higher taxes, a decrease in the standard of care, cuts to Medicare, and bureaucrats in Washington coming between doctors and patients.

Cross-posted from Frankly Speaking.