The reason for my letter is to try and reform how autism is managed on a state and federal level. Autism is a brain disorder that often makes it hard to communicate with and relate to others. With autism, the different areas of the brain fail to work together. This can cause certain individuals to need lifelong care and therapies to be able to function in their daily lives. Autism affects 1 out of 88 children in the United States and even more so in boys, with a ratio of 1 out of 54. These children are born with this disability and spend their lifetime trying to progress from it. All need help in terms of speech and occupational therapies to help them adapt, learn, cope, and function. The problem is that autism and the therapies that are needed for this disability are not covered by health insurance companies in a way that can effectively help the children it affects. For example, my insurance at work only provides ten (10) visits per year for therapies. My son needs to go to two (2) therapists at least once a week. I would then have to pay out of pocket for the rest of those visits. Per the federal guidelines, as they exist today, a child that is autistic qualifies for SSI as well as Medicaid if, and only if, the following is met: - For a single parent income must be less than $2000/month - For a married couple income must be less than $3000/month - These figures are before taxes are taken out. - For a single parent income must be less than $1000/month to qualify for food assistance.

The reason for my letter is to try and reform how Autism is managed on a state and federal level. Autism is a brain disorder that often makes it hard to communicate with and relate to others. With autism, the different areas of the brain fail to work together. This can cause certain individuals to need lifelong care and therapies to be able to function in their daily lives. Autism affects 1 out of 88 Children in the United States and even more so in Boys, with a ratio of 1 out of 54. These children are born with this disability and spend their lifetime trying to progress from it. All need help in terms of speech and occupational therapies to help them adapt, learn, cope, and function. The problem is that Autism and the therapies that are needed for this disability are not covered by health insurance companies in a way that can effectively help the children it affects. For example, my insurance at work only provides ten (10) visits per year for therapies. My son needs to go to two (2) therapists at least once a week. I would then have to pay out of pocket for the rest of those visits. Per the Federal guidelines, as they exist today, a child that is Autistic qualifies for SSI as well as Medicaid if , and only if, the following is met: - For a single parent income must be less than $2000/month - For a married couple income must be less than $3000/month - These figures are BEFORE taxes are taken out. - For a single parent income must be less than $1000/month to qualify for food assistance

The Republicans are telling lies about the Affordable Care Act, which they coin "Obama Care". They tout it as a jobs killer and that it will substantially add to the federal debt. The truth is that this act has saved children's lives (insurance companies can't deny coverage for pre-exisitng conditions, and will expand this to adults in 2014), provided free needed medical services, including birth control and mammograms for women, allows your kid up to age 25 to be covered on your policy, and demands that health insurance companies return 80% of customers' paid premiums on actual health care services incurred. It promotes competition among insurance companies and hospitals so that your health care bills stop skyrocketing.This is just a partial list. Check out the Affordable Care Act provisions for yourself on line.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act specifically with the individual mandate being "consititutional". The "Medicare" portion of the bill was left up the the individual states as to whether those Governor's will enact that portion. I am disabled and uninsured. I live in a state where my GOP Governor has emphatically stated he will not spend 1 dime to enact Medicare.

With our Congressional leaders examining "We The People", entitlements,in this hardship economy , let us carefully examine their outlandish benefits...and make adjustments. Let our leaders have the same healthcare benefits as "We". Let them have the same Social Security benefits as us, not an inflated Retirement Program.

Unwanted medications are difficult to get rid of. They can't be thrown in the garbage or dumped down the drain, because they harm the water supply and landfills with toxic elements. Hazardous waste disposal sites are inconvenient and unaccessable for many people. I know I frequently have expired cold medicInes and out dated prescriptions. A law needs to be created that makes all pharmacies have a free drop off for unwanted medications. It should be the responsibility of the medical field to dispose of medications safely.

When most veterans signed up, it was with the promise of being able to utilize veteran hospitals for future medical needs. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many veterans have had their benefits discontinued because of the fact that it isn't a "service related" injury. Even worse, after most go and spend literally eight hours to have a five minute conversation with VA case workers where they are told that now they must wait 18 months for processing. In many cases, 18 months without treatment is simply not an option. Left with two options, a veteran can either wait until they become destitute enough to receive benefits, or go try a private provider (with a pre-existing condition). Until we make them honor the commitment made to our brave soldiers, how can they ask the soldiers to honor theirs?

The current mental health laws Do Not Help the patient who is expected to make important strategic decisions in the midst of full blown episodes. Many of these individuals suffer the loss of jobs, marriages, homes. Families and caregivers, have to stand aside, helpless and unable to assist their loved ones, as I have personally experienced, and many, often and tragically, experience the grief of suicide. The current mental health laws benefit only the doctors and other mental health professionals involved, as they get repeat customers. Let us change the laws to empower family & caregivers in treatment decisions.

Congress, Supreme and lower courts,etc get free lifetime insurance. Why are paying for their insurance in the first place much less after they leave. We leave a job, we lose insurance..Want true deficit reduction? Start there..Cut off the bennefits...

Medicaid is an integral part of our social safety net. I am concerned that a vulnerable sector of our population will be at risk if federal funding is rejected in North Carolina. Please encourage Governor Perdue to accept federal funding for Medicaid.

Millions of lives and our economy as a whole are being ruined due to the stranglehold of the insurance companies and the drug companies on our health care system. As a percentage of gross domestic product, we spend twice the average of other comparable countries on health care and get the worst results for it. (the absolute worst of other comparable countries) I waste time and money making unnecessary appointments with my primary care physician in order to see a specialist, and too many of the doctors that I do see are obviously in it more for the money than for the vocation. Millions of dollars and millions of hours of labor are wasted on paperwork to prop up an untenable system that benefits very few. We all live in fear of a health crisis ruining our finances. The issue is not really that complicated and the solution is simple, but nobody in Washington is going near it. Let's present them with something. We pay 1.45% tax our entire working lives in order to have health care when we retire. Why not pay 4% instead and have health care now and forever, for us and our children? (happy side effect: my plan's 14% surtax on exorbitant salaries will help keep that scourge in check as well)

Most people don't realize it, but their insurance card that they use to pay for prescriptions generates incredible profits for the issuers of the cards, the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM's) How do they do this? By reimbursing your pharmacist less than it costs him to fill your prescriptions! In many cases, the reimbursement received from the PBM (plus the patient's copay) total less than the acquisition cost to the pharmacy for the drug, not to mention any consideration for pharmacy overhead expenses. The pharmacy's ability to negotiate with the PBM stops before the point at which the pharmacy breaks even on the transaction. Reimbursement for extra services provided by the pharmacy (emergency service, delivery, time spent on the phone with PBM's who won't authorize refills of a patient's prescripton, is totally absent and non-negotiable. Additionally, often after your pharmacist has spent his non-reimbursed time and effort to assure that you get your medication, the PBM will notify the patient that henceforth they will be required to use the PBM's own pharmacy, and receive their medication by mail, which results in the patient receiving their refills too late, and having heat and cold sensitive drugs exposed to harmful weather conditions. This is an impingement on patients' rights, a danger to their health and can result in the pharmacy losing core business to the PBM's, who still must rely on the neighborhood pharmacy to be around when the patient requires a new medication quickly. Call on Congress to pass legislation to assure fair reimbursement to the pharmacists who have for years, provided prompt and effective service, even in emergency situations. Stop PBM's from mandating mail-order prescriptions.