CLEVELAND -- A public forum titled "Health Reform: What's in it for you" was held at John Hay High School on Cleveland's East side Monday.
Fifteen-hundred people were expected, but only about 400 attended the event organized by Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
Brown said similar debates in the largely Republican cities of Cincinnati and Columbus over the last few weeks turned heated, but today's forum was calm by comparison.
Douglas Brewster said that's why he decided to get involved, "I came prepared, because I wanted to confront these people who tell these lies".
Matt Lynch from Chagrin Falls, who lost a wife to leukemia, opposes President Obama's plan. He said, " The current system has served my family extraordinarily well and I simply do not have confidence in this government plan to serve me as well as well as private insurance has done."
Senator Brown said there has been a lot of misconceptions about the plan. He said, "health reform means that all Americans will pay less for health care and be protected against insurance industry practices that limit care or pass along huge out of pocket costs to consumers."
Brown told the crowd that the average Ohio family has had their insurance premiums increased by 92% since 2000 while wages have decreased. He said the chief goals of the plan are to make sure "insurers no longer refuge coverage based on pre-existing conditions," and "lower out of pocket expenses, deductibles and co-pays". Also, tax credits will be issued to people and families who can not afford coverage.
The Senator says he will continue meeting with Ohioans and hearing their opinions, but Congress hopes to have the new legislation on President Obama's desk by the end of the year.
Dell Salza says, she is glad she attended the forum because, "I had an idea already but it gave me more specifics," she said.
Fifteen-hundred people were expected, but only about 400 attended the event organized by Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
Brown said similar debates in the largely Republican cities of Cincinnati and Columbus over the last few weeks turned heated, but today's forum was calm by comparison.
Douglas Brewster said that's why he decided to get involved, "I came prepared, because I wanted to confront these people who tell these lies".
Matt Lynch from Chagrin Falls, who lost a wife to leukemia, opposes President Obama's plan. He said, " The current system has served my family extraordinarily well and I simply do not have confidence in this government plan to serve me as well as well as private insurance has done."
Senator Brown said there has been a lot of misconceptions about the plan. He said, "health reform means that all Americans will pay less for health care and be protected against insurance industry practices that limit care or pass along huge out of pocket costs to consumers."
Brown told the crowd that the average Ohio family has had their insurance premiums increased by 92% since 2000 while wages have decreased. He said the chief goals of the plan are to make sure "insurers no longer refuge coverage based on pre-existing conditions," and "lower out of pocket expenses, deductibles and co-pays". Also, tax credits will be issued to people and families who can not afford coverage.
The Senator says he will continue meeting with Ohioans and hearing their opinions, but Congress hopes to have the new legislation on President Obama's desk by the end of the year.
Dell Salza says, she is glad she attended the forum because, "I had an idea already but it gave me more specifics," she said.
