Better late than never, Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, is holding a town hall meeting on health care reform legislation.
It's 11 a.m. Saturday at Sutter Middle School at the corner of I Street and Alhambra Boulevard. This is your chance to weigh in as Congress nears final passage of a bill.
Matsui, a member of the key House Energy and Commerce Committee that is charged with drafting a health care reform bill, hosted two telephone town halls in September and did a three-day health care tour in May (meetings with patients, doctors, nurses and medical staff at local clinics, hospitals and labs). But this may be her only face-to-face meeting with constituents before a final bill goes to the House floor.
This is where Matsui could seal the deal with constituents, persuading them about the basics that should be in a final bill. It is also a chance for constituents to press for changes they'd like to see that Matsui can bring to the floor as amendments.
Here's one: In the House bill that Matsui supports, Americans who don't have insurance would be able to choose a private insurance plan or a Medicare-like public option through the new health insurance exchange.
To read the complete editorial, visit The Sacramento Bee.