Message from My Senator

I wanted to share this letter from my Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma. We need more like him.


Correspondence from Senator Coburn‏
From: Senator_Coburn@coburn.senate.gov
Sent: Mon 11/09/09 11:17 AM
To: ryalspr@hotmail.com




November 9, 2009



Dear Mr. Ryals,



Thank you for taking the time to email me regarding health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to respond to your email message.



I appreciate your kind words of encouragement and support. It is always nice to read encouraging email messages from fellow Oklahomans. As you know, I too am opposed to government-run health care. I will continue to advocate for a common sense alternative to socialized medicine. One way I am doing this is on a weekly radio show, which you can tune in to at http://republican.senate.gov/doctors. Please allow me to update you on the status of my own health care proposal, The Patients' Choice Act, S.1099.



The Patients' Choice Act was proposed before any Democrat sponsored bill, and has been seen as a legitimate, credible alternative to current bills which propose a government-takeover of our nation's health care. My office has received thousands of calls, emails, and letters from Oklahoma constituents, and we anticipate many more. I have discussed my bill at length with many Republicans, as well as Democrats, both in Congress and in the Administration.



Currently, there are eight Senators who are cosponsoring this bill. One independent estimate of the Patients' Choice Act concluded that it would save American taxpayers approximately $70 billion over a 10 year period. Further, I am currently working to obtain a cost-estimate of the bill from the Congressional Budget Office.



During the debate over the government-run health care system in the Senate's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I offered the Patients' Choice Act as an alternative health care plan. Unfortunately, the Patients' Choice Act was voted down on a party-line vote. However, I plan to continue to advance my common sense ideas for reform and attempt to get this piece of legislation passed. I also plan to continue to discuss the merits of the Patients' Choice Act with my colleagues, and when possible, with the American people.



Thank you again for contacting me. For additional information, please visit my website at www.coburn.senate.gov. I can assure you I will continue my efforts to fight a government-run health care system and to advance the ideas of my health care proposal. Please feel free to contact me again if you should have any additional questions or concerns. Best wishes!





Sincerely, A

Tom A. Coburn, M.D.

United States Senator



TC: ler