Lamb Will Side With Seniors
Incumbent Has his Priorities Mixed Up
October 6, 2010 Holliston, MA ...Today, Marty Lamb, Republican candidate for Congress in Massachusetts Third District, criticized Congressman James McGovern for voting to cut Medicare while also voting to stop consideration of a verification system to stop illegal immigrants from accessing benefits.
"It is ok to cut Medicare for our seniors, but it is not ok to check immigration status to prevent illegals from collecting benefits?" questioned Lamb.
The President's Health Care bill does contain language to ban illegal immigrants from accessing federal subsidies, but with no screening in place or enforcement process, the language is meaningless. In other words, we need a federal "Perry Amendment" to require proof of citizenship. Otherwise taxpayers will be paying for health insurance for illegal immigrants.
"I am not surprised by the Congressman's voting to block a crackdown on illegal immigration. He supports 'a path to citizenship'. What he needs to realize is that his vote for Obamacare was flawed. It cuts seniors' coverage while failing to protect the interest of taxpayers," said Lamb.
Lamb also noted that the incumbent does not have healthcare or ending illegal immigration listed on his newly written issues page. McGovern does claim to be a supporter of Medicare, but fails to mention the cuts he supported. The incumbent supposedly read the bill, so he knew he was voting to cut Medicare for seniors.
The final version of the President's health care overhaul legislation contained $500 billion in cuts to Medicare.
- In a 3/20/10 Congressional Budget Office letter to Speaker Pelosi, the non-partisan office estimated that reconciliation package would result in $455 billion reduction in Medicare spending from 2010 to 2019.
- CNN.com's Political Ticker reported, "The reform plan includes cutting the costs of Medicare, the government-run health plan for seniors, by about $500 billion." ·
- The Washington Post reported, "It would cut an additional $60 billion from Medicare, bringing total cuts to the program to more than $500 billion over the next 10 years.
Lamb believes that common sense and free market ideas can make health care more affordable and accessible. Lamb suggests the following possible solutions:
- Institute a tax reduction for individuals who buy health insurance - Individuals should have the same tax treatment as employers and workers who receive coverage via their employer. By creating a tax reduction, more people will be encouraged to buy health insurance.
- Pass Associated Health Plans - For years the small business community has advocated for AHPs. Unfortunately, their requests have been ignored by Congress. AHPs allow small and micro-businesses to band together to purchase health insurance allowing them to negotiate better pricing.
- Promote health savings accounts -These accounts encourage saving for future health care needs. It makes the consumers more responsible for their own health care choices. Individuals can buy high-deductible insurance plans and save the rest in a tax free account set aside for health care.
- Cover pre-existing conditions - Denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions is wrong. When Obamacare is repealed, Lamb will support legislation to allow individuals to switch insurance coverage without risk of pre-existing condition exclusion.
- Pass tort reform - The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that 40% of medical liability lawsuits are brought without merit - get rich quick schemes. Due to the high cost of medical liability insurance, it is reported that 93% of doctors are practicing defensive medicine which is significantly adding to health care costs. The best estimate is $200 billion. The first step is to cap non-economic damages and to institute a statute of limitations of one year for adults from date of injury.
- Remove barriers prohibiting people from being able to purchase health care across state lines - Competition is a good thing. Allowing people to purchase insurance from companies beyond their home state will create competition on rates along with giving them more choice.
"We can fix our health care system without jeopardizing coverage for our seniors. Unfortunately, Congressman McGovern sold out our seniors for partisan agenda that supports amnesty for illegal immigrants," said Lamb.
Mr. Lamb graduated from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in 1985 and received his Bachelor of Arts from Hampshire College in 1982. He has an extensive background in real estate law, formerly with Adelson, Golden & Loria, P.C., Edward A. Sokoloff & Associates, and Lamb & Shaffer, P.C. and is currently with Lamb and Browne, P.C. He is a member of the Real Estate Bar Association of Massachusetts. An active participant in community affairs, Mr. Lamb sits on the Board of Directors of New England Region of United Synagogue and is a past president of Temple Beth Torah in Holliston. He has also served on the Holliston Elementary School Council and the Campaign for Holliston Schools. He resides in Holliston with Peri, his wife of 20 years, and his two teenage daughters Elissa and Simma.
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