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Recently, the Republican-held House passed the AHCA which is now being sent to the Senate for a vote. I am stymied how House members could pass this bill without reading it, as most have admitted, or not having it scored by the CBO before reaching their decision.

Fortunately for the American people, the Senate will have an opportunity to revise and amend the bill before it becomes law.

Let’s look at what the House thought was good for the American people:

This bill would leave an estimated 20 million people without health insurance because of pre-existing conditions and, millions of people will not be able to afford health care especially the elderly — by tenfold. This is not a cost most older Americans, including myself, can afford. I already pay outrageous health insurance rates for little or no coverage.

The two most egregious issues about this bill are: The representatives who passed it exempted themselves and their staffs from this bill, and, the bill will give billionaires almost a trillion dollars in tax breaks.

This bill, with all of its disgusting, celebratory back-slapping, is blatant, partisan politics putting the interests of congressmen and big business before the American public.

I urge all citizens to write to your senators and demand they not allow this bill to become law. The current system isn’t perfect, but the expectation is that Congress should, in a bipartisan manner, come to an intelligent, workable solution instead of passing the current bill.

MAUREEN TILLBERG

Sandpoint