I received yet another flier from Steve Daines whose campaign is for FULL REPEAL of Obamacare. Rep. Daines, hasn’t the train left the station? Are you really going to take health care away from those who finally have it? Quit the politics. Put your energy into making Obamacare better!

The Affordable Care Act is helping a lot of Americans. My sister-in-law obtained health-care coverage even though she had stage 4 ovarian cancer. My grandson has Type 1 diabetes and without the Affordable Care Act, he would never be able to get insurance on his own.

Over 8 million people have enrolled through the ACA and 3 million more Americans under the age of 26 remain on their parents’ plans. Experts predict enrollment to double by year end. In Montana those without insurance have dropped by 15 percent and could be reduced by 50 percent if Montana expanded Medicaid resulting in reduced costs incurred by hospitals and passed on to us.

While the Affordable Care Act expanded access to health care, it has not done enough to control costs. The law should be revised to allow discounts for people who get childhood vaccinations, don’t smoke, are not obese, and who control their cholesterol and blood pressure. Payments should be based on time and outcome rather than on procedures and we must address the fear of lawsuits creating unnecessary procedures. Allow all insurers, including the largest single payer, the Social Security Administration, to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies and to negotiate maximum fees for reimbursing doctors and hospitals.

We don’t need representatives like Steve Daines whose simplistic slogans and voting record make it clear he is simply against health care and government. We need a senator to create a better government. Let’s give Amanda Curtis a try. —Carol Santa, Marion