Health care reform will hurt those retired

As my wife and I are retired, we are concerned about the future of our Social Security program, Medicare, and health care.

When President Bush proposed cutting Medicare by approximately $225 billion, the Democrat members of Congress rose up in arms against such a move, claiming it would harm the senior citizens of our country. Now, when the Democrat Congress proposes a cut of more the $450 billion, it is supported by them as the right thing - please explain to this simple country boy how this is reconciled by the leadership of our great nation, and how it is now good for us senior citizens, when it was bad for us before?

We are thankful to our senators, Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley, and congressman Dave Loebsack, for their support of Medicare and for the 35 percent increase in our Medicare Advantage program, which we use instead of Medicare, because it has much better coverage, benefits and, until this January, was the same cost as a Medicare policy from Social Security.

Our monthly cost, each, increased from $96.50 to $146.50 per month, for our Medicare Advantage program this year.

Coupled with the fact that we are not to receive any increase to our Social Security benefit, this additional cost of $100 each month affects our standard of living, on a fixed income.

We ask that each of you vote no on the proposed health care reform, and restore the funding to the Medicare Advantage program.

Garland C. Groom

Sharon K. Groom

Cedar Rapids