I've been posting to FB my emails to our congressional delegation, urging a bipartisan effort to keep the pre-existing conditions clause if the Affordable Care Act is repealed, for three reasons: (1) It is a life-and-death matter for Debi and me: (2) the political discourse has been way too nasty, divisive and partisan this year, even though survey research indicates a majority of people want bipartisan solutions; and (3) I'm still naive enough to believe our political institutions can work as intended, and even if they *are* irreparably broken, I'll be damned if I'm going to let them perish without putting up a fight.
One more reason: I don't want to suggest myself as any kind of role model or my emails as any kind of template, but I hope others will join me in keeping the politicians on task. Google how to contact your representatives, elected officials, etc., for tips. But I think they usually boil down to two things -- (1) say what you want the reps to do, e.g. support HB _____, or the pre-existing conditions clause, or whatever your issue is; and (2) explain, factually and politely, how if affects you personally. To the extent I can, I always try to personalize the message, if I can do so without BS'ing them. One last tip: Be brief, be civil and click on "send." But do it.
The Hon. Lamar Alexander
Dear Senator Alexander –
While I’m not a constituent of yours anymore, I read in Politico today about your sensible, measured approach to replacing and repealing “Obamacare,” and I want to do everything I can to support it. Accordingly, I am writing my congressional delegation – Sen. Durbin and Sen.-elect Duckworth of Illinois and Rep. Rodney Davis of the Illinois 13th Congressional District – urging them to work with you and anyone else on both sides of the aisle who is willing to devise a commonsense, effective, compassionate health care system to replace what we’ve got now. This is a life-and-death issue for millions of people with pre-existing conditions, and it is far more important than partisan politics.
I don’t have words to say how encouraged I am to learn you are taking this position toward the Affordable Care Act, and Medicare as well. Many years ago, I covered you when you were governor of Tennessee and I was a beginning reporter for The Oak Ridger. I moved up north in 1982, but I’ve followed your career with interest since that time – most recently as your Senate committee played such an important role in working out a reasonable compromise last year on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. My family is directly impacted by ACA – my wife has pre-existing conditions, she is not yet eligible for Medicare and she was unable to obtain insurance at any price before the present law was enacted – and we hope and pray for your success on this issue as well.
/s/ Peter Ellertsen
2125 S. Lincoln Ave.
Springfield, IL 62704
The Hon. Rodney Davis
Dear Rep. Davis – Copied below is an email I sent tonight to the Hon. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Education, Health, Labor and Pensions Committee, urging bipartisan cooperation on any legislation, in Sen. Alexander’s words, to “replace and repeal” the Affordable Care Act in the next session of Congress. (Notice that he believes new legislation should be in place when ACA is repealed.) I strongly urge you to take the same pragmatic, compassionate approach to the issue. I have followed your career closely and believe you are becoming an effective advocate for the wide variety of interests in the 13th District.
What happens to ACA is a life-and-death issue to my family, since my wife has pre-existing conditions and was unable to get insurance before it was enacted; however, especially in light of your advocacy for children’s health initiatives and the pledge on your website “to build on some of the good provisions in the law like covering preexisting conditions,” I am sure we can trust you to do the right thing. After hearing all the partisan rhetoric during the election and its aftermath, I was greatly encouraged by Sen. Alexander’s approach. (I’m a former constituent of his, anyway, and I’ve always known him as one of the guys who gets things done in Washington.) I urge you to follow his example. This is an issue that goes far beyond partisan politicking, and it offers you an opportunity to rise above it and stand up for those of your constituents who have to rely on ACA while you devise a better system to replace it. /s/ Peter Ellertsen
[LETTER TO SEN. ALEXANDER OMITTED]
The Hon Richard Durbin
Subject: urging bipartisan effort to replace pre-existing conditions language and other strong points before ACA is repealed
Dear Senator Durbin –
Copied below is an email I sent last night to the Hon. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Education, Health, Labor and Pensions Committee, urging bipartisan cooperation on any legislation, in Sen. Alexander’s words, to “replace and repeal” the Affordable Care Act in the next session of Congress. I’m terrified that my wife will lose her health insurance if they repeal the ACA, and I am encouraged that a key Republican in the Senate at least says new legislation should be in place when it is repealed. I am unalterably opposed to repealing Obamacare, but I would urge you and the Senate Democrats to do everything you in your power to seek bipartisan compromise language that would mitigate the worst effects of repeal, especially on people with pre-existing conditions.
For us, this is literally a life-and-death issue because my wife Debi has pre-existing conditions, she was unable to obtain health insurance before ACA and she is not yet eligible for Medicare. I carried her on my group policy from Benedictine University at Springfield, but I was able to retire after ACA was enacted and Benedictine has now closed the undergraduate program in which I taught. I couldn’t go back to my old job if I wanted to – it no longer exists. I am sure I am not the only person caught in a comparable situation, especially with the cutbacks in state government and higher ed throughout Illinois in recent years. I cannot urge you strongly enough to do whatever it takes to delay and mitigate the suffering created by the extremist right-wing agenda now advocated by the President-elect and his majority in Congress.
/s/ Peter Ellertsen
LETTER TO SEN ALEXANDER OMITTED
The Hon. Tammy Duckworth
Dear Representative Duckworth –
Congratulations on your election to the Senate – I have followed your career in the House and in Veterans’ Affairs at the state and local levels, and I look forward to being one of your constituents now in your new office. I am writing now to urge your support of any and all bipartisan efforts to replace the pre-existing conditions language and other strong points of the Affordable Care Act before it is repealed.
Copied below is an email I sent last night to the Hon. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Education, Health, Labor and Pensions Committee, urging bipartisan cooperation on any legislation, in Sen. Alexander’s words, to “replace and repeal” the Affordable Care Act in the next session of Congress. I’m terrified that my wife will lose her health insurance if they repeal the ACA, and I am encouraged that a key Republican in the Senate at least says new legislation should be in place when it is repealed. I am unalterably opposed to repealing Obamacare, but I would urge you and the Senate Democrats to do everything you in your power to seek bipartisan compromise language that would mitigate the worst effects of repeal, especially on people with pre-existing conditions.
For us, this is literally a life-and-death issue because my wife has pre-existing conditions, she was unable to obtain health insurance before ACA and she is not yet eligible for Medicare. I carried her on my group policy from Benedictine University’s branch campus at Springfield, but I was able to retire after ACA was enacted and Benedictine has now closed the program at Springfield in which I taught. I couldn’t go back to my old job if I wanted to – it no longer exists. I am sure I am not the only person caught in a comparable situation, especially with the cutbacks in state government and higher ed throughout Illinois in recent years. I cannot urge you strongly enough to do whatever it takes to delay and mitigate the suffering created by the extremist right-wing agenda now advocated by the President-elect and his majority in Congress.
/s/ Peter Ellertsen
LETTER TO SEN. ALEXANDER OMITTED]
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