Cap Insurance Premiums, Mr. President

Dear President Obama,

As part of your spending cuts, put a scalpel to insurance premiums. Cut and cap. It is preposterous to think that someone on a limited income (like seniors, retirees, disabled folks), or those whose salaries have flat lined can continue to afford increases of 25% or more per year. With the average annual cost of living increase of 3 to 5% it is simply unaffordable. For many this can be as much as 10%or more of their income.

For the past three years many insurance premiums have risen as much as total of 25% or more per year for the past few years! Meanwhile insurance rates in Congress were recently reported as an 8% increase last year to 12% this year. Give us the same. After all, Congress works for us. Everybody keeps saying we should have the same health insurance opportunities as Congress. Act on it and stop the private insurance sector from hemorrhaging us to code blue.

Start by putting a cap on insurance premiums. Make this retroactive for the unfair cost increases over the past five years. Let the insurance companies apply this instead of a tax credit to our insurance. It is time that patients instead of shareholders and company executives reap the benefits of decent health care. Shift the focus on preventive care to preserve your health and save your life as opposed to waiting until you get sick and die.


Do the right thing and the best thing for your country. Keep insurance premiums affordable. Keep your country's health from failing. Invest in prevention, health maintenance, wellness, and health preservation. Make the insurance companies accountable for this, too. Disease management is good, but if it is prevented or detected early it's even better.

Information technology such as electronic medical records are great, too. Be realistic. We are behind here and trying to catch up. Take care of patients first and do this as you go. Most doctors' office are still trying to figure out how they are going to afford it.


Consolidate some of the government health agencies that overlap. As I waded through the Health and Human Services department, I drowned in an alphabet soup of agencies that do similar things. It looks like a lot of money being spent for those most in need; however, the disparities in health care continue in despair.

Keep our country's vital signs stable. Resuscitate. Perform CPR STAT. Open the airway, breathe in fresh air, and circulate the proper health care to all Americans. It is our birth right. It is our privilege. Make it our asset.


Best regards,
Dr. Richardson


P.S. On a personal note - my insurance company increased my premium another 25% this year from $700 to $882. Pre-existing conditions have prevented me from getting affordable continuous coverage elsewhere, or from getting into less expensive plans in the company.

J.L. Richardson, MD, family medicine doctor, is author of the award winning Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.
http://mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U
www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd