I am Dion!

I’m Dion Bergeron. I’m a Republican and I want to be your Congressman.

 

I’m 46 and a proud father of five great kids. My amazing wife is a Medicaid Case Manager who works with the developmentally disabled and their families. I’ve learned a lot about the home health care industry.

 

I was a truck driver/trainer for about a decade, have seen 48 of our 50 great states and driven over 1 million miles, most of those right here in Northwest Indiana- the Crossroads of America’s hub. In 2006, I changed careers and became a Correctional Officer at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. For seven years, I worked almost every post you can imagine, from the largest cell house in Indiana to the disciplinary segregation area. I’ve walked the chaplain to a cell and stood by while an inmate got the news that no man wants to hear about their loved one. I’ve tried to cheer up children crying because they didn’t want to leave Dad. I’ve also cheered on an inmate proud of their GED or praised their newly found art talent.

 

So why run for Congress?

 

I’m tired of the career politicians, lawyers, and spoiled rich kids that feel guilty about being spoiled and rich being the ones who represent us, passing laws that they have no clue how it will impact us, the Regular Americans.

 

I’m a real candidate for real people. I know that I can make some real changes to our district and our country. The two biggest changes that I want to make involve protecting our Constitution and healthcare.

 

I vow to do EVERYTHING I can to protect our Constitution and protect our rights. I am a strong proponent of our Constitution.  I’ll work hard to limit the restrictions of our rights, including repealing the Patriot Act. The FISA abuse coming to light is one symptom of a larger problem.

 

I will protect our 2nd Amendment, while working with both sides of the aisle to make sure that those who violate the hundreds of laws already on the books regarding firearms are prosecuted, while ensuring that those who want to keep themselves and their families safe can do so.

 

I am not in favor of Medicare for All. Medicare for All burns our healthcare system to the ground and leaves us ashes to try to rebuild a functioning healthcare system for over 300 Million Americans and counting while costing us Trillions. The state of Oregon put 10,000 residents into a single-payer system as a test. The cost of medical care rose by over 30% without any improvement in health.

 

I propose two specific policies, that together, would save us $2.4 Trillion per year across the board: Deductible Security and Price Tag Transparency. Private insurance remains, but costs are driven way down.

 

Deductible Security. Here’s how it works: you choose your plan from an insurer of your choice. An amount equal to your deductible is deposited into a Health Savings Account that is only for health care related items (Doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, over the counter medicine) allowing you INSTANT access. What you don’t spend, you keep. This has been used by Whole Foods, the state of Indiana, and Singapore successfully for years.

 

Price Tag Transparency. I support 100% price transparency so we can all know how much our healthcare costs and we eliminate the red tape and bureaucracy. You wouldn’t shop at a store that didn’t use price tags, yet we do that all the time with our healthcare. Trump’s Executive Order helps in this area, and I will work toward bipartisan legislation that supports 100% price transparency.

 

Home health care. We’re facing a critical staffing shortage. From pediatric home health nurses, to home health aides for the elderly, to Direct Service Providers (DSP) for those with developmental disabilities, this is an industry whose employees are overworked and underpaid. This staffing shortage will hit crisis level if something is not done. I will work to ensure the federal funding that covers 60% of this industry’s budget is increased for real wages and benefits for employees, many who are dedicated and passionate about their jobs. Even the passionate must be able to pay their bills. Home health care and DSP needs to become a career path in our schools and vocational education. I also propose a national registry for employees fired for Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation to protect the most vulnerable among us while ensuring the highest quality of employees.

 

I have a unique perspective, and I am willing to listen to all ideas, regardless of the side of the aisle they originated on. Learn more about me and how I will represent every member of our district equally at www.DionBergeron.com or follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @DionForCongress.

I am Dion!

by Dion Bergeron time to read: 4 min
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