One of the most closely followed and controversial pieces of legislation in four decades, the recently passed Federal healthcare reform legislation potentially affects the lives of all Americans. Much of the debate over the past year has featured political posturing and misinformation about what is actually contained within the legislation. Regardless of what people think, however, it is likely that the legislation will have an effect similar to that of Medicare and Social Security, entitlement programs that many Americans have come to depend on. The Weekly Sentinel has attempted to summarize highlights of the bill and provide more detailed explanations of certain important components of it. Those items can be found in the April 9 edition of the Weekly Sentinel.