We thought that the spewing of hatred and racism coming from the right could not get any worse than it did during the 2008 election cycle. We thought that America would come to understand that, yes there was a Black man who now holds the position of president of the United States and out of respect for the office, he should and would be treated fairly and equitably when it came to the matters of the state.

He was elected; he showed the world that maybe America was not as racist as we looked from the outside, that maybe there was hope, a chance that America could fulfill its promise. And then came health care.

Health care has been the bane of the American existence. As the system has evolved, there has steadily been a divide between the have and the have-nots. Small businesses have struggled with whether or not to provide insurance. And those that have been able to muster the resources to do the right thing by their employees have found themselves facing premium increases of 17 percent to 50 percent year over year. At the same time, individuals have fought to keep their insurance when their health has been compromised, while for many of the children in our country, the idea of a primary care physician is an unknown entity.

Our nation has been battling to establish comprehensive health care for nearly a century. Theodore Roosevelt first put health care on the table during his administration, and Franklin Roosevelt tried to get it passed during the New Deal era in the 1930s. But it wasn’t until 1960s that Lyndon Johnson was able to twist enough arms to get Medicare and Medicaid passed. Many Republicans and conservatives fought him hard on the issue.

In the 1990s, the Clintons tried to reform health care, and it nearly destroyed them. Bush ignored it, and he sailed through his eight years–and a war or three–as the Democrats watched and respectfully disagreed with the way he ran the country.

But as monumental a fight that health care has been, it has been decades since we have seen the vitriolic and unacceptable nastiness that has come from right-wingers as the House prepared to vote on the historic legislation, with one Congressman on the House floor even yelling out “Liar” and “Baby killer” during the final House debate before their vote. What happened to civility and respect? The Texas right-wing Congressman did not come forward until it was apparent that he would be outed for his disgraceful behavior. And shortly after he admitted to his despicable behavior, he was looking for donations from other Conservatives on his website.

One Black Congressman found himself spit on by teapot protesters and the iconic Black Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis was called “nigger” by another protester. Anti-gay and anti-Hispanic invectives were also hurled by the unruly obnoxious teapotters.

This bill is a good start, and the polls show that the tide is swinging in favor of it. People are starting to see through the right-wing rhetoric and are understanding that Democrats, Republicans, conservatives or independents will all benefit from the changes at hand.

As we understand it, the following is what health care reform will mean to New York and to African-Americans in particular.

Here are some of the facts:

* Almost 19 percent of all Blacks in the U.S. are without health insurance.

* In general, African-Americans spend a higher percentage of their income on health care while at the same time, seeing larger health care disparities.

* African-Americans continue to suffer at a greater rate from heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.

* With health care reform, African-Americans will see a great change in their ability to get insurance and to help keep their families healthy and strong.

* New York state residents who are uninsured (2.7 million) and residents who are paying their own insurance costs will gain access to insurance that is more affordable.

* Over 1.5 million New Yorkers and almost a quarter of a million small businesses will qualify for tax credits to help defray the costs of insurance premiums.

* In 2010, adults who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary high-risk pool.

* This bill starts to close the Medicare Part D donut hole in 2010 by providing a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the gap in prescription drug coverage. And beginning in 2011, the bill institutes a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs in the donut hole.

* Starting this year, new private plans will be required to provide free preventive care: no co-payments and no deductibles for preventive services! And beginning January 1, 2011, Medicare will do the same.

* Immediately, insurance companies will not be able to exclude coverage of pre-existing conditions for children. Moving forward, no insurance company can deny a child coverage based on his or her health. In addition, children will be able to stay on their parents’ insurance up to their 26th birthday.

* Insurance companies will now be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage.

* Funding for community health centers will be increased so that nearly double the number of patients can be treated in their community health centers over the next five years.

* This bill holds insurance companies accountable for unreasonable rate hikes. Starting in 2011, it helps states require insurance companies to submit justification for all requested premium increases.

* Beginning this fiscal year, this bill provides funding to states to help establish offices of health insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals in the process of filing complaints or appeals against insurance companies.

This is just the beginning, but it is an amazing achievement, considering where we started. We are moving in a new and positive direction–one that treats all of us with the dignity and respect that every American deserves. Congratulations to President Obama and the Democratic Congress for getting this tough job done, and let’s hope those who disagree with this legislation will at least act decently and with civility going forward.