Seals Misleads on Health Care

Letter to the Editor, Daily Herald, "Seals Misleads on Health Care":

As a physician in the 10th Congressional district for more than a quarter of a century who has been involved in health reform and healthcare legislation, I am dismayed by the utter lack of scruples in the Dan Seals campaign and the naivete of those who believe Seals' baseless smears against Mark Kirk's health care record. Seals' claim that Kirk voted against children's health care not only betrays intent to mislead the public, but also a fundamental misunderstanding of the legislation in question. The CHAMP bill, which Kirk voted against, increased funding for the SCHIP program at the expense of Medicare. Medicare services such as wheelchairs and oxygen would have been cut in order to pay for increased SCHIP funding. Believing the children should have health care, regardless of their parents' wealth, Kirk later voted for a different bill that expanded SCHIP without abandoning seniors. The bill was passed initially in the senate and supported by Sens. Durbin and Obama.

Either the Seals campaign is willing to intentionally mislead the voters, or they never even bothered to read the bill. Thankfully for 10th district seniors, Congressman Kirk did read the bills. Mark Kirk is a strong advocate for improved access to health care in our district and a champion for doctors and their patients. If access to quality health care is as important to you as it is to me and my family, join me in supporting the re-election of Mark Kirk.

Jay Alexander

Bannockburn