Letters

Lee Zeldin tells a fanciful tale. He claims to support health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and efforts to lower prescription drug prices, but his actual votes say otherwise.

Zeldin voted to terminate the Affordable Care Act and, with it, the program that required health care coverage to be available (without penalty) for people with pre-existing conditions. And in his one opportunity to vote on prescription drug reform, Zeldin voted “no” in December 2019. Zeldin even claims credit for programs he voted against, ignoring the final roll call in the official House records.

Several times during his tenure, Lee Zeldin voted to repeal the ACA, most recently in May 2017. Even today he supports Supreme Court overturn of the ACA without replacement. This would nullify the federal requirement to provide coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

Zeldin and Trump offer proposed “replacements” that would cover people with pre-existing conditions, but without any consumer protection. Expect individuals with pre-existing conditions to be penalized in pricing and availability of coverage.

In December 2019, Lee Zeldin voted against HR-3, the House bill to make prescription drugs more affordable. The only effective way to control the cost of prescription drugs is by permitting Medicare to negotiate drug prices directly with the manufacturers. Zeldin’s refusal to allow Medicare to exercise its pricing power should surprise no one, because much of his campaign contributions come from drug makers and their affiliates.

Zeldin also takes credit for funding medical research at Stony Brook University. What Zeldin does not tell you is that when the actual budget came to a vote on July 25, 2019, he voted against it.

Zeldin’s biggest deception of all is that he is has listened to his constituents, especially on their health care needs. Zeldin’s last public town hall was in April 2017 — before his vote to repeal the ACA. He ignored constituent pleas to preserve the ACA and voted for termination. Zeldin has not held an open town hall since. True town halls must be open to all constituents who want to attend without pre-screening of questions or questioners (to exclude critics).

I know this from firsthand experience. I have held five open town halls since last September, and I will hold at least five more before the end of June. I take questions from Democrats, Republicans — whoever attends and wants to ask a question. There is no pre-screening and no spin. Why not join us this Sunday at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett at 4 p.m. and see for yourself?

This November, we have a chance to give the 1st District a representative who will fight for us in Washington, D.C. — and tell us the truth here at home.

Perry Gershon

East Hampton

Mr. Gershon is a Democratic candidate for the 1st District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives — Ed.