Photo courtesy of Tax Credits

I think we should have Medicare for everyone. It’s very simple: get rid of Medicaid, get rid of the Affordable Care Act, and provide Medicare for everybody.

- Richard L., Bonita Springs, FL

 

I feel very strongly that we ... should not provide some types of care for people of a certain age, and I’m saying this being 73. I do not think we owe a 60 or 70-year-old a million dollars’ worth of medical care.

- Richard, Colorado Springs, CO

 

My experience with private bureaucracy has been much more convoluted than my experience with public bureaucracy… bureaucracy is not just confined to government.

- Robert, Northampton, MA

 

Both of my children needed emergency surgeries within their young lives … without Medicaid they … would not have received the care they needed or I would not have been able to pay the medical bills.

- Charlotte, Interlachen, FL

 

Health care is personal, and everyone has a story to tell about it. It’s also the fastest-growing part of the federal budget, making up more than 23 percent of total US. government spending. That’s about $900 billion this year alone.

Health care costs continue to rise, Obamacare is being rolled out and may be used as a tactic in the upcoming debt ceiling negotiations, and rumors abound about the long-term stability of Medicare.

Have an opinion about health care and your federal tax dollars? Just want to learn your Senators’ or Congressperson’s stance on programs like Medicaid, Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance, or Obamacare? The August recess – when lawmakers are home and close to constituents - is a great time to get in touch.

We’d also love to hear your voice about these programs or any other personal experiences you have with our federal budget. Submit your stories to NPP’s Faces of the Budget project.

More resources:

• Our Health Care Fact Sheet, part of the August Recess Legislator Meeting Fact Sheet series, has the background information you need to stay current and talk to your lawmakers about upcoming health care debates.
• The Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program counter, part of our new Cost of National Security site, tracks hourly Medicaid and CHIP spending in your city, county, congressional district, and state.
• Our Federal Priorities Database maps historical state-level spending for Children’s Health Insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. It also maps health insurance coverage by state.