Nearly 100 people attended the Fountain Hills Democratic Club meeting March 14.

In addition to the regular business meeting, attendees were treated to a surprise celebration of St. Patrick’s Day thanks to the musical talent of Eric Landau dressed in full regalia of green shirt and kilt and playing two numbers on the bagpipe.

Club President Dave Long followed with some brief announcements and also a description of his work with organizations helping the asylum seekers. Long described the scene at St. Vincent de Paul, one of the locations assisting immigrants in their transit from ICE to their sponsors' homes.

The main topic was a presentation on “Medicare for All” given by Jonathan Weisbuch, M.D., an expert on public health issues and former Maricopa County medical director.

Weisbuch began his presentation with a history of public health in America, which dates back to 1636, when the Massachusetts Bay colony stipulated that soldiers who were injured in the Indian wars would be provided medical care by the Colony. Weisbuch showed how healthcare access has been a continuous thread in American history, culminating in the passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Prior to the ACA, 50 million Americans were without healthcare at a cost of $3.4 trillion dollars.

Comparing the health care system to a rail train, Weisbuch went on to explain how each part of the system is interconnected. While there are problems with the current plan, healthcare provision continues to evolve and further legislation is needed to fine tune the system.

The next meeting of the Fountain Hills Democrats will be April 11 at 6 p.m. at the Community Center. Guest speaker will be Jose Patino of Aliento, speaking about the present situation for the Dreamers.

The meeting is open to the public.