While the public’s attention has been focused on the daily controversies stimulated by the Trump administration, a small group of Republican senators has been conducting secret meetings to generate a bill to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act.

Majority leader McConnell has said he hopes to have a vote on this bill before the July 4 recess.

The starting point for the Senate bill is the horrible health care bill passed in the House of Representatives by Fred Upton and his Republican colleagues. From all reports, the Senate bill will include most of the destructive elements of the House bill, causing many millions of people to lose their health insurance and many others to pay much higher premiums, deductibles, and co-pays.

The efforts by congressional Republicans to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act provide a clear illustration of the value differences between the two major political parties.

Democrats believe that our government should make every effort to insure that all Americans have affordable health insurance. Republicans are trying to pass a bill that would deprive more than 20 million Americans of affordable insurance.

Democrats believe that insurance companies should not be able to deny coverage, or charge much higher premiums, to people with pre-existing conditions. Republicans want to allow insurance companies to once again have the right to institute these extremely destructive practices.

Democrats believe that older people, poorer people, and people who live in rural areas, should not have to pay higher insurance premiums. Republicans want to increase insurance costs for each of these groups.

Democrats believe that women should not have to pay higher insurance premiums than men. Republicans want to allow insurance companies to once again discriminate against women.

Democrats believe that the wealthiest among us should pay their fair share of taxes. Republicans want to provide a $600 billion tax cut to the rich.

What the Congressional Republicans are not doing is working to pass common sense legislation to reduce the cost of health care.

For example, they are not trying to make a public option (like Medicare) available to people under age 65; they are not trying to reduce the cost of prescription drugs by allowing safe importation from developed countries like Canada; and they are not trying to pass a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices.

We the people need to do everything we can to stop the Republican plan from becoming the law of the land. We also need to elect people who will take positive steps to reduce the cost of health care and insure affordable care for everyone.

Dr. Larry Feldman

Lakeside