Aaand, I get a response:

Dear Mr. Tux:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the increasing costs of health coverage and your support for H.R. 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act. I appreciate hearing from you on this important and timely matter.

The need for a high-quality, accessible and affordable health care system has never been more urgent. There are currently forty-seven million uninsured Americans, eight million of whom are children. Another fifty million are underinsured. Although the U.S. spends twice as much on health care per capita as countries with universal coverage, the World Health Organization ranks us 37th in overall health system performance.

I am proud to tell you that I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 676. H.R. 676 addresses many of the health disparities in our health system by guaranteeing every resident of the United States access to a full range of medically necessary services, including primary care, prescription drugs, mental health care and long term care. There are no co-pays or deductibles under this program. The role of the government would be limited to collecting revenues and disbursing payments; care would continue to be delivered privately. Patients could continue to use the same hospital, physician or health clinic from which they currently receive services. H.R. 676 is supported by over 210 labor unions and more than 100 grassroots groups across the country. The former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, two former Surgeon Generals and 14,000 physicians support national health insurance.

The complexities and ambiguities of our current system are part of why I support universal healthcare. Once again, thank you for contacting me. Your views help shape the way I represent our district, and I value your opinions.

Sincerely,

Michael M. Honda
Member of Congress