Student’s Name
Student’s Address

Date

The Honorable Herb Kohl
Senator
U.S. Senate
330 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Herb Kohl:

My name is XXXXX. I live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. I am writing to you because I was pleased to read in the Congressional Voting Record that you supported H.R. 2116, Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act of 1999.

I was vaguely aware of the Veterans Millennium Health Care Act before April 1, 2010. On that day I discovered what H.R. 2116 meant to me and my family. I had started a new job in February 2010, and was uninsured as I had not yet become eligible to receive insurance benefits through my employer. Coming home from work that evening I was involved in a severe auto accident resulting in severe injuries to my right leg and foot. I was airlifted to an area trauma center where I had emergency surgery to place a rod in my right femur. During the surgery the hospital asked my wife how we were going to pay. My wife told them we were uninsured, but that I am a service connected disabled veteran. The hospital put us in contact with one of their social workers, who contacted the VA hospital in Tomah. After less than 24 hours I was being transferred to the Tomah VAMC. I spent over 2 months there recovering, in addition to receiving occupational and kinesio-therapy. During this period I also had surgery to repair my shattered right foot at the Middleton VAMC in Madison.

I know you are an advocate