From shouts of disagreement to loud cheers, a standing-room-only crowd packed into a state building meeting room last night for Rep. Robert C. Scott's lively health-care town hall.
Audience members, chosen at random to ask questions, raised numerous concerns about health-care reform, including coverage for illegal immigrants, a single-payer option and the constitutional authority for universal health care.
Scott, D-3rd, opened the two-hour meeting with an explanation of the House of Representatives bill that, among other things, would create a "public option" intended to create competition with private insurers.
The "status quo is unsustainable," he told the roughly 300 people in attendance. "The United States pays more for health care than any nation on Earth."
Last night's town hall was Scott's second on the topic, and he also participated in a forum hosted by a Norfolk television station. He joins other federal lawmakers across the country who are hosting similar public forums to hear constituent concerns about proposed health-care reforms.
Terrie Griffin of Richmond said the costs she accumulated because of health issues caused her to file for bankruptcy. She said she's in favor of the public option.
"I support this 100 percent," she said. "I am one of the persons who over the last 10 years have had multiple diagnosis, life-threatening illnesses, over hundreds of thousands in medical expenses. Yes, I did have to file bankruptcy -- not proud of it," Griffin said.
Several other speakers spoke about crippling financial effects of mounting health-care bills.
Charles City County resident and business owner David Adams wants to see tort reform, but even still, he said he is leery of universal health care.
"People like myself, in small business, are very skeptical of government-run programs," he said. "I mean, look at the post office."
Vocal discord came when Nathan Brown of Richmond asked where in the Constitution it gives the government the right "to give all our money away." Scott pulled out a pocket Constitution and cited Article 1, Section 8, saying it's under the same provision that supports Social Security and Medicare.
"If this plan is unconstitutional, then so is Medicare and Social Security," Scott said.
Parts of the meeting were interrupted by outbursts, including from John Lewry of New Kent County, who thinks if anything, government should get out of health care instead of getting in deeper.
"If they can't keep their commitment on Social Security, which is a program that has been running for 70 years, how are they going to keep their commitment on health care, which is already causing the government to go broke through Medicare and Medicaid?" he said after the event.
Scott said after the event that town halls are designed to draw out differing opinions.
"We're going to try to draft the best bill we can," he said. "This isn't a game show where there's an applause meter. You want to hear the points that are being made."
Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or omeola@timesdispatch.com.
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