It seems like one would have to be living under a rock or lost on a deserted island to not have heard all the chatter going on over healthcare right now. To listen to the right, one would think that the sky is falling. When watching critics of health care reform screaming on the news or reading letters to the editor, one has to wonder:

Why is the health care industry spending more then $1.4 million a day lobbying Congress?

Ethically speaking, how can we accept the fact that nearly 46 million Americans today are living without any type of health insurance, and 25 million more Americans are underinsured?

Why aren’t they outraged by the fact that healthcare premiums have increased by 120 percent since 1999, yet wages over the same period have only increased by 29 percent?

Studies conducted at Harvard University found that 50 percent of bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses. This is something that is undeniable; we all know someone whose quality of life is diminished because they can’t afford the care that saved their life. Why do the critics vehemently support a system that is financial death for so many Americans?

Seniors are encouraged to tell the government to stay out of their health care and they are happy with their Medicare plans; but don’t they realize that Medicare is a government run socialized healthcare plan? How loud would the roar be if Medicare was done away with and seniors were force to buy all their health care insurance on the open market?

Critics are using scare tactics and lies, and because of that we are lynching our political representatives and not the pharmaceutical and medical industries who are making massive profits. They have figured out how to take advantage of the system and victimize us hard-working American citizens. And now that their easy road to wealth to is in jeopardy, they are trying to get us to fight their battles for them. They say that with Medicare Part A scheduled to be broken by 2017 we need to oppose reform because the government can’t do anything right. That is a ridiculous logical fallacy fueled by the very people and organizations robbing and draining our bank accounts every day. We need to take action and safeguard the program and stop them from draining the funds through exorbitant and unnecessary fees. Health care in this country is broken and reform is necessary.

AARP has brought some issues to the table that I feel need to be addressed in any new healthcare plan. Like guaranteeing access to affordable coverage for Americans ages 50-64. With unemployment hovering at 9.5 percent and older workers losing their jobs and health insurance along with the skyrocketing cost of COBRA, there needs to be some type of safety net in place.

We need to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap or “doughnut hole.” How many of you have been caught in the doughnut hole with your prescription coverage and had to pay for the cost of your medicines out of pocket? Something needs to be done to fix this.

Creating a Medicare-transition benefit helps patients safely return to their homes after hospital stays — thus preventing costly hospital readmissions.

AARP is watching the final bill so that it includes increased federal funding and eligibility for home and community-based services through Medicaid, so older Americans can remain in their homes — thus avoiding expensive nursing homes. I would think every senior would be in favor of having the option of having a PCA come to your home and assist you with tasks, so you can live in your own home for as long as possible. Also, it will be creating more jobs and putting people back to work.

In 45 states across the country, insurance companies have the right to discriminate against a people based on their pre-existing conditions when they try to purchase health insurance directly from insurance companies. They can deny you coverage, charge higher premiums, and/or refuse to cover that particular medical condition. That is an unethical status quo that must change.

Lastly, I would like to ask those who do not like the health care bill that is being considered in Congress, why they haven’t stepped up with their own healthcare reform bill. It looks like they want to be obstructionists more than doing what is best for the American people. CNN reports quite regularly on the death threats, mobs and lies that the critics of health care are supporting. This must stop. The violent seas of this debate are confusing those who need to understand it the most. Let’s stop the fear tactics and use maturity in our debates. Our future depends on you.

Mike Lee is an Albert Lea resident and a member of the DFL Party.