The Mayor’s Health Reform Implementation Committee (HRIC) cordially invites members of the public during November’s Health Insurance Awareness Month to join the committee during the final three community meetings in a dialogue on the “future of health care in the District of Columbia.” These meetings are open to the public and will be conducted throughout the month of November.

The meetings are below:

• Ward 2 One City Insured Meeting, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Watha T. Daniel Shaw Public Library, 1630 7th Street, NW
• Ward 3 One City Insured Meeting, Monday, Nov. 14, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, University of the District of Columbia, Health and Natural Science Building (44-A03), 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW. (Enter on Van Ness Street). Take the red line Metro to Van Ness-UDC Metro Rail Station. This meeting is cosponsored by Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh.
• Ward 1 One City Insured Meeting, Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Reeves Center, 2000 14th St., NW

President Barack Obama signed the health care reform bill into law on March 23, 2010, and the HRIC has been working since then, to head up the effort to implement the law in the District. The HRIC is encouraging you to attend its next meeting to discuss what health reform means for you, including:

• Improved access to health care for District residents NOW
• Help paying for health insurance for residents and small businesses
• Opportunities to help shape health care in the District

The HRIC is inviting you if you’re a small business owner; a single parent or married with children; uninsured or underinsured; insured through your job; have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure or cancer; a civic association or ANC leader; of if you run a health ministry. This meeting is part of a series of forums and other events conducted by the HRIC to garner public input. A lot of information is available online on health reform—what it is and what it will mean for you, your family or business—at www.healthreform.dc.gov. The HRIC needs as much input as possible to make sure that the District’s health insurance marketplace offers high quality insurance at a price you can afford.

For residents who are unable to make the meetings, the HRIC encourages you to visit the website at healthreform.dc.gov. For more information on these meetings, contact HRIC staff, Dorinda White at (202) 442-8992 or [email protected].