Letter: Newhouse’s support of health care bill is alarming

Cancer does not discriminate on who it touches. I extend my sincerest condolences to Rep. Dan Newhouse and his family as they mourn the loss of his wife, Carol. May they be surrounded by love and support as they confront what cancer has taken from them.

I have experienced and witnessed the toll that cancer takes on a family all too often. I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 34 and went through several years of brutal treatments. I regularly volunteer to help others who are fighting cancer.

As a cancer survivor and volunteer, I found Rep. Newhouse’s verbal support for a bill that would allow states and insurance companies to deny coverage or raise rates exorbitantly on those with pre-existing conditions to be disappointing and alarming. I urge Mr. Newhouse to step out from behind his party’s canned talking points and to embody the political integrity and courage to reach across the aisle and work on improvements to the existing ACA.

He knows the ACA has helped his constituents — I have witnessed them telling him this. Mr. Newhouse; please be the leader we need for this district and this country.

This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 8:14 PM with the headline "Letter: Newhouse’s support of health care bill is alarming."