To the Editor:

Public option healthcare is a necessity, not a luxury. The reasons for this conclusion of mine are:

* $46 million Americans without health insurance.

* Business cost of providing healthcare makes U.S. less competitive in the global economy. An example, General Motors spent more per car on healthcare than the cost of the metal.

*Unemployed cannot possibly afford cost of COBRA even with federal help from the stimulus package. There are 34,000 unemployed people in Lee county.

* Florida is a low-wage state that has too few employers who pay any benefits such as healthcare.

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives has said the House will complete a House bill before summer break. She has also said that this bill will include a public option choice.

Sometimes in the fall, the U.s. House will meet with the U.”S. Senate in conference to determine the final product of the two U.S. legislatures. They then will vote again in the House and Senate and submit this bill to President Obama for his signature.

I would strongly appeal to the local and Florida state voters to call their support for the public option plan or some form of single payer plan.

Please take five minutes of your time to call Sen. Bill Nelson’s local office at 334-5274 and express your strong support for a healthcare bill that includes a public option to be passed this year.

Joan Patterson

Lehigh Acres