Health care reform a blessing for America

The passage of health care reform is a great day for America. We are blessed to have a leader like President Obama.

Democrats are able to claim full credit for passing a bill that has many popular provisions. Soon it will become illegal to deny children coverage for pre-existing conditions. Adults will have to wait until 2014 for that protection, but will at least get access to new high-risk insurance pools until then.

Children will be able to stay on their parents' insurance plans through age 26. Lifetime limits will disappear, and so will an insurer's ability to cancel your policy when you get sick. Starting Jan. 1, Medicare patients will qualify for free annual wellness visits. And insurers will be required to pay out at least 80 percent of premiums in actual health care reimbursements.

Now Republicans are going down in huge defeat. Their choice now is to either work with Democrats to make reform even better, or continue to be the party of no.

Glen Gillette

Marion