VanderBrink: As voters, we need to wake our Congress member up and take care of business

To the Editor:
A good premise and instruction for any government and people in general is to take care of those less fortunate than themselves.
Now our government is turning the tables and with the Affordable Care Act, our government is creating a new problem and portion of the population that no longer can afford the imposed upon regulations.
The Affordable Care Act is due to implode on itself in a short period of time. We are seeing those that are private pay, self-employed, and employers struggling to keep themselves and businesses afloat by imposed regulations.
The Affordable Care Act is making a basic need, health care, unaffordable, and employers are being forced to reduce hours and not expand. Premiums have sky-rocketed to unaffordable levels.
These terribly high premiums are not beneficial and will be affecting commerce all over the state and country. People will have to choose, can I buy a house, car, send kids to school, or pay these ridiculous health care premiums. People with a catastrophic event may lose farms, homes, cars, their lives due to the Affordable Care Act.
As an auctioneer, we have done benefits for families that can’t pay for health and funeral expenses. It’s an honor to help. But I feel that there will be more of the same if we don’t fix this broken system. Yes, there were some aspects that were good with pre-existing conditions, children to 26, and others. But, these could have been implemented as guidelines in the first place without replacing the whole system.
I talk with farmers, other auctioneers, small business owners, and these premiums no longer fit into anyone’s budget and forcing people to make hard decisions. People will die with this law.
There is no reason that a health premium should be higher than your mortgage. How can people get ahead? In recent articles, they mention taking from reserves to pay down premiums  — really, you don’t thrown gas on a fire! I have looked at the guidelines and benefits and – while it does help some people, it encourages people to not get ahead. Hey, people need help, but this system will pay a high bracket premium, and a tax benefit for those that choose not to work or get ahead. Anyone willing and able to work should have a job and contribute to society. My husband and I work like dogs, and help as many people as we are able to, but when you look at how this system works, it makes you wonder why. So lawmakers — listen!!! This is breaking the backs of your citizens — repeal, fix, go back to how it was. Those unfortunate were taken care of in the old system. Reform entitlements — cut those programs not needed. A 300-percent increase in my rate over the past few years is insane and unsustainable for the growth of commerce and my business and family. Wake up, Congress!
Seems pretty easy to me.
1.      Review entitlements — Medicare Programs — Those that can work, work — encourage admittance to workforce.
2.      Open competition across state lines.
3.      HSA accounts.
4.      Review prescription drug guidelines and costs.
5.      New guidelines for coverage.
Vote!
Yvette VanDerBrink 
Rural Hardwick