Rep. Scott defends health-care position to cheers and jeers

NEWPORT NEWS

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott was cheered, jeered, told in so many words that he is a liar and hailed as a great fighter for health care during a two-hour meeting Tuesday.

One day after Scott's Republican colleague, Rob Wittman, earned standing ovations at a forum for his opposition to a House health care bill, Scott came out just as forcefully in favor of the legislation.

Before an overflowing crowd of 350 in the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, the Democrat first explained that health care costs are skyrocketing, leaving many Americans no longer able to afford proper medical care.

He then outlined the House bill, HR3200, which would establish a government insurance plan to compete with private insurers and would spend hundreds of billions to provide insurance to people who cannot afford it.

He sought to reassure the crowd that if they're satisfied with their coverage, they can keep it. And he defended proposed taxes on wealthy Americans to help pay for health care, saying, "Everybody's gotta kick in a little bit."

Then he turned the floor over to Suzanne Vanderpool, who spoke about a friend who's gone bankrupt trying to pay for her cancer treatment. Recently, Vanderpool's friend told her the struggle was too much to bear.

"My friend is choosing an earlier death because she can't afford health care," Vanderpool said. "This is criminal... We're not asking for a bailout. All we want is the basic right to affordable health care."

Others were not convinced that the changes are necessary.

Dawn Thomas, a registered nurse in Portsmouth, questioned what in the Constitution gives Scott and other legislators the authority to control health care.

"Can you explain to me why we as Americans should bear the cost of funding of health care as a right?" Thomas said. "Is that not socialism?"

Scott countered that the Constitution specifically states Congress shall provide for "the general welfare of the United States."

"And to that extent that any of this is unconstitutional, so is Medicare," he said.

Ted Ehrenfried, who is 72 and using Medicare, the government-run health care program for the elderly, said he would like everybody to have health care but he doesn't trust the government.

"Who's going to ensure that there's going to be checks and balances?" Ehrenfried said. "I'm just afraid."

Several in the audience urged Scott to push for reform.

"The poor person can't get health care," said one man. "There's no reason for that."

While the debate was lively, it also was civil, and Scott praised the audience for avoiding the kind of rancor that has marred meetings in other parts of the country. Some speakers questioned Scott's motives and whether he was telling the truth.

Richard Levy, a retired Navy captain and Williamsburg resident, said he's read the House bill several times and didn't find any of the details Scott presented.

"One of the problems we have with any of these bills is the credibility of Congress," Levy said. "The things you put out there are not there... None of it's there."

Scott said he stands by the legislation and his explanation.

"If you don't believe what I said, fine."

Scott said he is optimistic that when Congress reconvenes next week, some version of health care reform will be passed. In addition to the House bill, Senate committees also are proposing legislation.

"We'll try to combine them so Congress can have something and try to do something," he said. "One of the reasons we've been having these town hall meetings is to see who has better ideas than this, so we can incorporate them into our plan."

Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com