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Friday, August 28, 2009 12:37 PM

Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald


Elizabeth Smith, Ottawa, holds her 2-year-old son, Jonah Smith, as she questions U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-2nd District., Thursday afternoon about health care reform during a speaking stop at the Franklin County Office Annex, 1428 S. Main St., Ottawa. Smith said she and her son are uninsured.

Jenkins hears health care concerns at forum

By VICKIE MOSS, Herald Public Affairs Editor

The U.S. needs health care reform, Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., told a packed house at the Franklin County Office Annex Thursday.

She disagrees, however, with the Obama administration on the best way to accomplish such reform.

Jenkins told about 150 people at a forum on health care that she supports a Republican plan to reform the insurance and pharmacuetical industries, as well as look at medical malpractice and lawsuits.

“I’m just hopeful that when we get back in September, we’ll have a bipartisan approach,” Jenkins said about the  next steps in legislative action on health care reform.

Several area residents spoke about their experiences or asked questions about Jenkins’ positions on such issues as having a public option or the effectiveness of current government programs like the Veterans Administration or Medicare and Medicaid.

“The VA isn’t funded like it should be. Neither are Medicare or Medicaid,” Jenkins said. “How can we ever think we can take it nationwide? The resources just aren’t there.”

Many of those who spoke said they supported Obama or his plan.

“We’ll just have to agree to disagree then,” Jenkins said more than once.

“I too am for universal health care coverage. That’s why we’re working on this plan to do it but to do it in a free market system,” she said.

Read more on the forum and public comments in Saturday's Herald.

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