(Sen Bob) Casey hosts civil town hall on health care in Johnstown(PA)

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- Bob Casey Jr. arrived in Cambria County this afternoon armed with a PowerPoint presentation, three panelists to tout health care reform and a copy of the bill passed out of his Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

But Mr. Casey didn't need a ton of ammunition to win over the crowd at a town hall meeting on health care at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. In contrast to the raucous events Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., has held around the state, there were no disruptions at today's event and most of those in attendance wore stickers or other paraphernalia announcing their support of reform.

Mr. Casey began with his panelists, including Trisha Urban, 33, of Hamburg, Berks County, whose husband died in February after the couple was dropped by their health insurance carrier and they could not get coverage because of his pre-existing heart condition.

The senator then gave a presentation that described the bill that passed from his committee -- though he was careful to note it is far from the final version. The House has its own versions, and the Senate Finance Committee still must draft a bill. He also stressed the reforms aimed at insurance companies -- making it illegal to impose a lifetime cap on health expenses, for example.

Mr. Casey then took a handful of audience questions, most of which were supportive of the plan. He took the opportunity to defend the "public option" -- a government-run alternative to private insurers that citizens can buy into -- despite concerns that it might not end up in the Finance Committee bill, and news reports this week indicating the White House might be willing to give it up.




Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09232/992233-100.stm

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Great news! I was wondering about Johnstown since it can be a mix of loyal Dems and the Wingnuts from what Carville accurately called "Alabama in the middle".

with coal mining still a big industry. It's John Murtha's hometown. As you say, they do have some wingnuts though.

Johnstown does have a good Democratic base but there is also a lot of Repuke yahoos in the area these days. Obama barely beat McCain in Cambria county in 2008 and got soundly trounced in surrounding counties of Bedford, Somerset & Indiana counties.

Murtha wins cause he's a long time congressperson who brings the bacon home to his district.

I know the area and it has turned increasingly conservative.

I'm surprised Shuster & Murtha have never gotten charged and ended up with jail time.

of right-wing "yahoos", real slobs in fact.

Founded Johnstown.

Even though I don't agree with Senator Casey on every issue, I believe he is a kind and decent man who represents our state well.

Thanks for the report!

would be nice to see a positive meeting on TV.

I think that it's about a 2 to 1 ratio in favor of the Repugs. The only opinion that we ever get here is from Shuster who was trained well in the art of corruption by his father. I can only hope that Shuster is soon returned to his car salesman career.