Dear Senator Crapo,
You and I have common ground on the need for health care reform. What is
disturbing me now are the flaws in the American Health Care Act,
especially pre-existing conditions, preventive care and Medicaid.
Also of concern are Rep. Raul “Nobody Dies” Labrador’s comments at a
town hall meeting. In Bonner County our own Lora Cartelli (who started
the volunteer clinic for working people who fall into Idaho’s severe
Medicaid “donut hole”) died from lack of access to health care. She had
been director of the county’s indigent office and was concerned about
the growing costs of emergency room visits by our neighbors who were
not, are not, and under the new bill will not be covered. Labrador even
bragged that the emergency room access is still included in the bill!
Obamacare at least was an attempt to lower costs by providing preventive
care.
Lora was on a Cobra program for a while after she left the County
Indigent Office (it cost her $2,000 month), but when COBRA ran out, she
was unable to afford the coverage and the drugs that could have saved
her life. We loved her and miss her still.
Lora’s clinic saved our neighbors — and the County — hundreds of
thousands of dollars in emergency room costs–and also SAVED LIVES. I
want you to be better informed than “Nobody Dies” Labrador, so that you
can help craft an improved bill in Senate.
Please acknowledge receipt of this email.
Thank you for your time,
Nancy Gerth
Sagle ID