Town Halls Demonstrate Commitment to Health Reform

Town halls on health reform—which featured two members of the West Virginia congressional delegation—underscored AARP’s staunch commitment to health care reform that benefits every American, according to Gaylene Miller, State Director of AARP West Virginia.

The town halls were held during the August congressional recess. Senator Jay Rockefeller, a Democrat, was AARP’s special guest at a forum on health reform at the University of Charleston. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, was AARP’s guest at a tele-town hall also devoted to health reform.

The town hall at the University of Charleston attracted about 200 AARP volunteers from the area. Additionally, there was an overflow crowd of about 75 people. The town hall attracted demonstrators for and against health reform. Miller said that supporters of health reform out-numbered the persons protesting against it.

The tele-town hall attracted from than 7,400 participants from throughout Capito’s congressional district.

“Meaningful reform is possible only if our lawmakers are willing to look beyond political divisions,” Miller said. “We were thrilled to work with Sen. Rockefeller and Rep. Capito to help the people of West Virginia understand the significance of health reform.”

Miller said that myths and misinformation have distracted from a substantive discussion of the issue. “But not today, and not in West Virginia.” Miller said. “Today we took an important step in setting aside political division in favor of true civic dialogue.”

“Sen. Rockefeller and Rep. Capito are to be commended for placing the interests of the people of West Virginia before partisan politics.”

Rockefeller, who heads the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, has long been an outspoken advocate of making sure all Americans have adequate health care.
 
"In West Virginia, we have 250,000 people who are uninsured and 100,000 who are underinsured. That is troubling. That is a family tragedy," the Senator said.

The senator had strong words for health insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

"There are a whole lot of people making a whole lot of money off of health care which they should not be making," Rockefeller said. "The insurance industry is the shark that swims under the surface of the water that you don't see until you get bitten by it."
 
The nation needs health care reform, Capito said, but she’s opposed to the main reform bill now under consideration in the House. Capito said health care costs do need to be cut. Like Sen. Jay Rockefeller, she says Congress should make sure people with pre-existing conditions can get health care.

“We have a lot of common ground here on what we think the problems are,” she said. “(But) the House bill is an overreach.” Capito said she favors several incremental steps, such as limits to medical malpractice awards and allowing young people up to the age of 25 to stay on their parents’ insurance plan.

She also said Congress should explore the option of having non-profit cooperatives provide health care. “It would probably give some price pressures on health insurance,” Capito said of a co-op plan. She also favors refundable tax credits to help people afford to purchase health insurance.