February 1, 1999

Honorable Daniel Patrick Moynihan
464 Senate Russell Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-3201

Dear Senator Moynihan:

I am outraged by the current status of the health insurance industry (among other things). Although we have the best medical care in the world, we have fallen way behind many European nations with regard to medical insurance. We need a more equitable system, or at least some nationwide standards.

I have been subjected to a 30% rate increase in the last 13 months. My choices with regard to medical care providers are nonexistent. If a specialist is needed you often have to wait for months for an appointment. Even the general care providers in my area are so overburdened that you can’t even get through on the phone lines without redialing a dozen times.

Another alarming development since Kaiser Permanente took over my insurance provider is the increase in activity in the subrogation department. I recently received a request for all the details concerning a minor accident suffered by one of my daughters in the school yard. Are they planning to sue the other 8^th grader involved in the accident for negligence? Are they planning to sue the school’s insurance company? Whatever the case, I predict we will drown in a sea of litigation if nothing is done. I implore you to take some action to curb the vast power and flagrant abuses currently being perpetrated by the insurance industry.

On a separate note, I have enclosed a copy of a poem describing my frustration with our current situation. I’m not smart enough to offer a solution, but I often wonder if our problems could be ameliorated by real campaign spending reform. A way must be found to hear the voices of minorities and others who are not aligned with the 2 dominant political parties. I hope you are not insulted by my attempt to find humor in this wasteful nonsense.