To the Editor:

Rep. Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, has been running ads that say N.C. citizens are paying more for health insurance because U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan supported the Affordable Care Act. In fact, you can thank Tillis  and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, for increasing your health care premiums by $1,000 every year. They were both key figures in blocking the expansion of Medicaid in our state for 500,000 citizens that would have quality health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act, but now have no insurance at all.

Hospitals and other caregivers still have to provide these people with the care they need even if they can’t afford to pay for it and have no insurance. In order to stay in business our hospitals have to cost shift this uncompensated care to those with private health insurance. This cost-shifting results in an average premium increase of $1,000 per year for every person in North Carolina with private insurance. 

Tillis and Davis are also responsible for the deaths of hundreds of our low-income friends and neighbors because of this lack of quality health care. Are Tillis and Davis really the kind of representative you want?

Ed Morris, MD

Franklin