Dear Editor: As Congress debates and lurches towards health care reform, lawmakers should seek ideas from programs that are already working rather than reinventing a very expensive wheel. Medicare Advantage is one such program which has been very successful.

This program enables disabled Americans and seniors, including veterans, to enroll in private, community based health plans. These plans compete against one another, which improves services and helps control costs.

But in an outrageous affront to millions of respected veterans, disabled and senior citizens, some members of Congress want to cut Medicare Advantage and shift an unfair share of health reform costs onto Medicare recipients. We should not let this proposal stand.

More than 10,000 people in the five counties I represent have chosen Medicare Advantage over traditional Medicare. On their behalf, I am asking members of Congress to protect this vital program, and to preserve health care choice and competition for all Americans who rely on it for medical coverage.