By Tom Israel
People all across America are angry about Obamacare. But the future of our health care is now up to politicians - not judges. It's not enough to talk about what we don't like. It's time to talk about what we do want. Here's a quiz. Fill it out and send it to your representatives in Congress. Let them know the kind of health care system you want them to fight for.
- I want a health care system based on the private sector and the free market, not some government-run system with government doctors.
Agree/Disagree
- I want a health care system where I get to choose my own doctors, I don't want the government telling me which doctors I have to use.
Agree/Disagree
- I want a health care system where most people get coverage through their employers, like they do now.
Agree/Disagree
- I think small businesses should get tax breaks to make it easier for them to offer health insurance to their own employees, to strengthen our employer based health insurance system.
Agree/Disagree
- I want a guarantee that my health insurance plan can't drop me, or jack up my rates, just because I get sick.
Agree/Disagree
- Drug costs are too high for retirees; they can't afford it. Something has to be done to reduce prescription drug costs for people on Medicare.
Agree/Disagree
- When I pay my premiums, I want to know that I'm paying for health care and not for bureaucrats. Insurance plans should have to spend at least 85% of my premiums on actual medical care.
Agree/Disagree
- My kids shouldn't be kicked off my insurance plan when they turn 18. Kids should be able to stay on their parents' insurance until they are older, like 26.
Agree/Disagree
- When I'm choosing health insurance plans, it's hard to tell which is the best deal. I'd be better off if there were a few standard plan options so I could shop around and compare "apples-to-apples."
Agree/Disagree
- I don't want anybody rationing my health care. There better not be any "annual caps" or "lifetime caps" on my benefits. When I get sick, I want the health care I need.
Agree/Disagree
- My insurance premiums shouldn't go up because hospitals have to provide free care to moochers who get sick and haven't taken responsibility for making sure they can pay for their own health care.
Agree/Disagree
- Just because I have a pre-existing condition, I shouldn't be denied health insurance.
Agree/Disagree
- The politicians have made a mess of our health care system. We need an American health care system that protects our freedoms to choose our insurance plans and our doctors. Tell your politicians to stand up for what is right for America.
Agree/Disagree
[Note: If you answered "agree'" to all the above questions, you're in luck. Congress has already approved a bill that would do just what you want. It's called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare."]
Tom Israel is the executive director of the teachers' union in Montgomery County, Maryland.
