April 30, 2009

The Honorable Betsy Markey

US Congresswoman from Colorado District 4

1229 Longworth Building

Washington DC 20515

Dear Congresswoman Markey,

Last summer members of the Rocky Mountain Action Coalition (RMAC) met with you in your Fort Collins campaign headquarters. At that meeting we were soliciting your support for a Medicare catastrophic health care benefit. You stated that if elected, you would support catastrophic coverage for all Americans.

Subsequently, in February, your district director Ken Bennett met with RMAC and we repeated our request for Medicare catastrophic coverage and support for H R 684/S.330, a bill that allows Medicare to negotiate discount drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies. A couple of days later he said that these requests had been sent to your Washington office and he would advise us of your position.

Since then, I have contacted Mr. Bennett twice to determine if any action has been taken on our request. Each time he has answered that you have not yet taken a position on these issues. It is difficult to understand your lack of action on matters that are so important to the senior citizens in your district especially since you have previously promised to do so. This lack of action on promised reforms is reminiscent of the experience that RMAC had with your predecessor Marilyn Musgrave.

Now is the time for our elected representatives to act. The President and Congress are deeply involved with health care reform for all Americans and legislation is expected to be passed this year. Our experience has shown that all previous health care initiatives have excluded persons on Medicare from participation.

We ask that you honor your promises and take action to insure that a Medicare catastrophic health care benefit and a Medicare negotiated drug program are integral parts of any health care reform legislation that Congress passes.

Sincerely,

John Kotson; RMAC Chairman

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Cc: Ken Bennett