‘Doughnut Holes' in Michael Steele's Argument on Health Reform

Michael S. Steele's Aug. 24 op-ed, "Protecting Our Seniors," showed that the Republican National Committee chairman has a great future ahead of him -- as a writer of fiction. His health-care reform column was tethered neither to facts nor reality.

Contrary to Mr. Steele's creative writing exercise, health-reform bills pending in Congress do not ration care, dictate the terms of end-of-life care, enable government to dictate medical decisions or cut Medicare benefits. These are discredited canards designed to scare seniors for partisan, political purposes.

Instead, the health-reform bills would provide significant new benefits for seniors. They would help to close the big gap in prescription drug coverage (the infamous "doughnut hole") for seniors needing multiple medicines; eliminate co-payments and deductibles for preventive care services; extend cost-sharing subsidies for more low-income seniors; and extend the life of the Medicare trust fund by five years.

These are important health-care improvements that seniors will share as our nation moves toward high-quality, affordable health coverage and care for all Americans.

RON POLLACK

Executive Director

Families USA

Washington