Dear Congressman Hensarling,

You sent an email asking if I thought the estimated cost of the bill will be higher or lower than the  estimate. I don't believe the cost will exceed the amount estimated. I do however think the cost of  us not passing some kind of REAL reform will far surpass that. The cost of health care is spiraling
 out of control and something has got to be done, and now Insurance companies are estimating  another 10% increase next year?!?!?! We have got to stop the bleeding. It is my belief that we  will not even have a chance at accomplishing this unless there is a strong public option in place  to make insurance companies have to compete to control cost. I feel your example of Medicare
is sort of indicative of what has been happening in the private sector of insurance as well, cost  has to be controlled and other than throwing the proverbial bone, insurance companies aren't  going to do it on their own. And furthermore I get slightly annoyed when numbers start getting  thrown around saying how it is going to cost too much to get reform, when as of this minute we  have spent $925,246,774,010 on insuring safety for other countries, in wars we should not even  be in , but yet we are supposed to feel bad about spending $870 Billion to take care of our own people?  I think even with a little more than 870 billion ,its a bargain.

Respectfully,

Shannon Long

Mesquite,  TX  75149