Dear Senators Casey and Specter

Hi,

We're really disappointed to hear officially that there is no public option in the proposed Senate health insurance legislation.

The more research I do, the more I believe that the market and for profit private companies will never be able to do what we need done. These entities make decisions based on what is best for the company and it's ownership - not for customers.

And for that matter, patients should be patients, not customers.

Small not-for-profit co-ops are an interesting idea, but will not have the weight to make a difference against the established corporate competition. We've apparently been able to see this in states where both exist. If we're not going to go all the way to single payer, we have a responsibility to provide a robust, national public option with a chance to survive.

Leaving health insurance to corporations is really just a legalized form of extortion transferring the hard earned money of working people into the pockets of corporations. Allowing that to continue - facilitating its continuation - is immoral.

The public favors a public option, doctors and nurses favor a public option. The only people opposed to this are the ones profiting from it. As Senators you represent the people who vote for you, and if you value the health of those people you should listen to their doctors. The insurance companies and their financial backers and benefactors should not be a compelling voice in this discussion. Their interests are not ours, and shouldn't be yours.