Senator Feinstein's Response to the Same Question

Dear Mr. Winn:

Thank you for writing to me to express your views regarding healthcare coverage for Members of Congress in healthcare reform legislation. I appreciate the time you took to write and welcome the opportunity to respond.

Members of Congress are eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) under the same rules as all Federal employees. The FEHBP offers Members and Federal employees access to health insurance plans offered by various providers. Premiums vary from plan to plan and are paid in part by the employer, the U.S. Senate in the case of Senators, and the remainder by the employee. Members of Congress are responsible for their share of the premiums, as well as all costs not covered by the insurance plan. This would not be changed by the bill that was introduced in the House of Representatives.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) approved the Affordable Health Choices Act, legislation to expand health coverage. The Committee included an amendment that would require all Members of Congress to enroll in a public option health plan. It is important to note that no other American will be required to enroll in a public plan. Those who are satisfied with their current coverage will be able to keep it. The Senate Finance Committee is still developing a healthcare reform proposal, which I will also carefully review. Please know that I will keep your comments in mind when healthcare reform legislation comes before the full Senate for consideration.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you should have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

Senator Boxer's Response to My Question: Will You Accept for Yourself and Your Family the Health Care Plan that is Currently Proposed by Congress ?

Dear Mr. Winn:

Thank you for writing to me about pending health care reform legislation. I am committed to working with President Obama to ensure that Americans have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare that they can rely on. With the right legislation, I believe we can greatly improve care for our families, while containing the growing costs of health care.

The status quo is unsustainable- Americans will spend more than $2.5 trillion on health care this year, more than one in every six dollars in the U.S. economy. In all, we spend twice as much per person on health care than other advanced nations, yet the United States ranks near the bottom of the 30 leading industrialized nations in basic measures of health such as infant mortality and life expectancy.

The situation is even worse for individual families, who are struggling to afford skyrocketing premiums and increased co-pays and deductibles. Health care premiums have more than doubled in the last nine years, and one respected study shows that, if we fail to act, the average California family will have to spend 41 percent of its income for health insurance premiums by 2016.

The growing number of uninsured is also contributing to higher costs- 46 million Americans do not have health insurance, and every day, another 14,000 Americans lose their coverage when they become seriously ill or lose or change their jobs. To make up for the coverage gap, families pay on average an extra $1,100 a year in premium costs.

Moreover, poor regulation of insurance companies means that even those with health insurance coverage are not always guaranteed to get the benefits they are promised. Every day I hear from Californians who can't get health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, or who are denied the medical treatment prescribed by a doctor because of insurance company bureaucrats. This is wrong, and we have to do better for our families.

That is why I have joined President Obama and many of my colleagues in support of some basic principles for action. Any health care reform must allow every American who likes their current health coverage to keep it. Health coverage must be made accessible and affordable, and insurance companies must no longer be allowed to discriminate against those with pre-existing conditions or drop you if you become seriously ill. We must increase investments in prevention and wellness as that will save billions of dollars. And health care reform must not add a single dollar to the Federal deficit.

As we move to enact health care reform, I will fight for a bill that meets these principals. As a U.S. Senator, I can choose from a wide array of health care plans, and I believe that all Americans deserve this opportunity.

Again, thank you for writing to me. Please feel free to contact me again about this or other issues of concern to you.

Barbara Boxer

United States Senator