Rallying for H.R.3962

It's a day of health care rallies in Albany, NY. Both demonstrations attracted enough supporters to guarantee media coverage.

Nola and I attended both briefly, just in time to hear the passionate Congressman Paul Tonko opine on the importance of passing H.R.3962 - Affordable Health Care for America Act.

The bill passed in the House a few days ago and is on its way to the Senate soon. This is the final, reconciled version of the health care bill that was amended by three House committees over the summer.

Paul talked about the 40 million Americans who are currently uninsured. As well, he answered questioned on the specifics of the plan.

The Act would include a new government-run insurance plan (the public option) to compete with the private companies, a requirement that all Americans have health insurance, a ban on denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition and, to pay for it all, a surtax on individuals with incomes above $500,000.

All sounds good to me as well to the majority of Americans who need it.

As a small business owner I didn't have health care insurance for the first four years. Then, this summer, I qualified for Healthy New York.

I pay only $231/month with the CDPHP plan. I'm happy and won't be changing if or when H.R.3962 passes. CDPHP is sufficient for my needs despite my plan not paying for certain medications, optometry or dental. My choice works for me.

And that's the key word - choice. The health care bill may indeed be 1990 pages long but it's all about choice and that's always a good thing.

Taxes will not rise, nothing with be rationed, Medicare will not be gutted - those are typical scare tactics invented to derail a Democrat President. Politics as usual for the GOP.

My many trips to France, Germany, Canada and Japan (and so many more) have convinced me that there is nothing to be scared of in a government-provided health care system, rather there is everything to embrace.