Webb, Warner offices get an earful on health care
On Saturday, the day the U.S. Senate voted to move health-care legislation to the floor, Sen. Jim Webb's office received 1,200 calls at the front desk.
That's compared with an average of 1,000 phone calls per week.
The story was similar in Sen. Mark R. Warner's office, as Virginians anxious about a sweeping health-care overhaul have been lighting up the switchboards to voice their opinions.
Warner's office fields about 30,000 contacts -- phone calls, e-mails or letters -- each week. Of those, about 6,300 last week were on the topic of health-care reform, Warner spokesman Kevin Hall said. The office staffed Saturday like a weekday to handle the call volume.
One of last week's callers was Donald Wyatt of Richmond's Fan District, who couldn't get through to Webb's staff but left his thoughts with Warner's office. It was the first time the 59-year-old has contacted one of his U.S. senators to sound off on legislation, and he said it's been a trying experience.
He called Warner's office again yesterday to find out where most of the callers stood on the issue, but he had no luck.
"It's been a very frustrating process to try to understand how that process really works," said Wyatt, who believes the health-care legislation is "too large, too much, too fast with the economy in the position it's in right now."
Webb and Warner, both Democrats, voted to allow debate on the Senate version of health-care legislation, but neither has committed to voting for the actual bill.
Warner's office doesn't keep track of exactly how many callers were on each side of the issue, but the senator gets daily and weekly reports on the "tone and tempo" of constituent contact, his spokesman said.
Webb also receives regular, detailed updates about call volume and the nature of the calls, spokeswoman Jessica Smith said.
It can be difficult to categorize constituent reaction neatly, because callers may approve of only some parts of a bill or may support pieces of the U.S. House of Representatives bill and pieces of the Senate bill, the aides said.
Also, the senators receive calls from political advocacy groups that don't always provide the best snapshot of Virginia constituents.
From Friday through Sunday, Webb's office received 3,900 e-mails from Virginians on the issue, Smith said.
Warner contacted his constituents through at least two e-mails explaining his vote to move the issue for debate. He sent one Saturday evening and another yesterday, in which he tried to reassure those who see Saturday's action as a sign of support for the legislation.
"Saturday's vote was only a starting point that allows us to continue working to include these amendments in the final legislation," he wrote.
"I will only support a final bill if I am convinced it will lower the deficit, drive down health-care costs over the long term, and improve the value and quality of the health care Virginians receive."
Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or
.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
If they want to keep their Senate seats, they will listen to the callers and vote NO on Health Care Reform.
Otherwise Webb and Warner will be victims of Senate Reform.
78linda,
The “across state lines” proposal has nothing to do with where you get your medical care. I do not believe there currently is any general exclusion preventing anyone covered by medical insurance from getting treatment in another state. What the proposal would allow is for citizens of one state to buy insurance from a company that offers insurance in a state different then your own. There are pros and cons to this. Pro: increased competition and increased competition should reduce costs. Con: some states have tighter regulation of the insurance industry and the reason the company offering a medical plan in a neighboring state but not yours is so that they can escape regulation and offer inferior and perhaps unfair coverage.
In the 2010 Federal Budget, spending on Interest (interest on US debt), Defense/Military Spending and Medicare/Medicaid represents costs that consume 90% of the projected revenue. Interest cannot be avoided, our country has an incredibly costly military and defense budget that seems to have popular support to keep increasing, and the entitlements of Medicare & Medicaid are, similar to interest, non-discretionary. The only way to cut spending within these categories of spending are via reduced Defense Spending or reducing the cost of medical care. And, keep in mind, as more Americans retire and become eligible for Medicare, we are guaranteed an increase in this category. Some might oppose changes in medical care, often for personal reasons, but something must be done to keep our nation from financial disaster. I don’t know how, but I can only hope the intent of the current legislation will come to fruition, and costs will become more controlled. Eight years ago, when Republicans controlled the White House and Congress, they were aware of this looming problem, but opted to ignore it. I believe they could have created a better solution than the one we have now, but for some unknown reason decided to ignore the very tough issue. (I’m sure because it would be difficult and unpopular; so I do give the Democrats credit to dealing with the issue). At this point, I believe change is absolutely necessary, and only time will tell if the approach we will be stuck with will be successful. Of course, there is always the ability to correct the situation if/when the Republicans gain the necessary control (unles, again, they choose to ignore the problem).
I don’t “love” insurance companies by any means. However, please tell me how this bill is supposed to “reform” my insurance company. Expensive welfare is what it is. Go to the US Senate pg and read bill HR 3590AS- section 2713 part a/1, Coverage of Preventive Health Service. Then look up United States Preventive Services Task Force “Guide to Clinical Preventive Services.“ I just want everybody to see what is going to happen to our health care—private or govt if this bill gets through. They want to cut costs—guess what is going to go first. Don’t think that these exhorbitant costs are NOT going to be passed down to the people. I am tired of a govt. that penalizes the people who ARE doing the right thing. Govt can not tax the rich forever—We are all going to be paying for this mistake long after this Congress has left office.
Bob you just hit the nail on the head big time!! This is the first time in the history of this country that you will be required to purchase something in order to merely exist. It is servitude, and, it is just not right.
vamama, it has nothing to do with loving insurance company’s. It has everything to do with intrusion into our lives by the Federal Government. If you think the IRS is bad, wait until you are taxed, fined, or sent to jail for failure to buy at your own expense one of the government run health care options. Never in history has anything like this happened to a US citizen and if you think I’m exaggerating then look it up yourself. Do a little self study. Teach yourself some facts.
I don’t know why we have so many insurance company lovers.
They don’t keep count? I don’t think so. They vote for their party NOT for Virginia. There is no way that they can honestly believe that this bill will somehow “reform” healthcare. It is so loaded with fraudulent numbers and bribes—in the “real” world, somebody would lose their job for a proposal this shoddy. I had faith in Warner for his fiscal sense. Boy, was I wrong! Virginians need to get fired up over this—or we live with the fallout!
Posted by jerry78linda on November 24, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I have no idea if this is in the health care bill, maybe some of the posters here know, but does it include being able to get health care “across state lines”?
*********
Currently no. That is why the vote this past weekend was so important. Since the Senate got the required 60 votes now the bill goes to the floor for debate and ammendments to improve the bill. I do think “across state lines” shouldbe added to the bill and have written both Warner and Webb to add this amendment to the bill. But understand that “across state lines” alone will do nothing to help the average citizen, but when combined with barring the practices of excluding people for pre-existing conditions and making it impossible for INs Co to drop people as soon as they get sick after paying their premiums for years then and only then do you have a great combination for true reform.
I have no idea if this is in the health care bill, maybe some of the posters here know, but does it include being able to get health care “across state lines”?
I firmly believe that if you have health insurance and you have a condition that can be better treated in another state, you should be given the option to go there. As it is now, if you leave your state for any treatment, you are not covered, you must have that treatment where you live. What if where you live does not have the facility to do this? Then I guess you could call that the insurance companies “death panel”.
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement