In regard to the Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act: The so-called “penalty” for not having health insurance can be called whatever you want to call it.

The fact of the matter is that now we are paying a “tax” or “fine” or “premium” for the thousands of people without insurance coverage who end up in emergency rooms every day.

I believe the majority of these people are working Americans who do not have affordable health insurance available to them. Some of these people are our family members, who will welcome exchanges that will assist in determining the best affordable health coverage for them.

If done with integrity, not greed, when all American citizens are insured and able to use their coverage responsibly, it will bring down the cost of coverage to guarantee each of us Affordable Health Care.

A key to curtailing medical costs includes having the opportunity to see a physician for preventive care so that people will not have to wait for an emergency to seek medical attention.

It is unconscionable that in these United States of America, we have bake sales to provide funding for patients who have no health care coverage. Just ask someone who doesn’t have coverage how “free” they feel about getting sick. I send kudos to the Supreme Court justices who voted for American freedom by supporting this affordable health care program.

Deanne Lavallee, Gardiner