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October 10, 2009

Lively debate as Tierney meets public on health reform

By Jonathan Phelps
Correspondent

SALEM | Shouting and boos, as well as some cheers, punctuated U.S. Rep. John Tierney’s first face-to-face forum on health-care reform this morning.

About 100 people turned out at the Salem State College Mainstage Auditorium. Police officers were there in case the meeting got out of control, but although some yelled across the room at each other, no fights broke out.

“This is total control of our lives by the government,” said Connie Kennedy of Beverly, “and it is disgusting.”

Sitting across the auditorium, Mitch Gart of Bedford shook his head at her comment and booed.

“I am in favor of the health-care bill,” Gart said after the meeting. “It is a little scary how many negative people were in attendance. Most of the constituents in the area favor the bill, but it was the few people who aren’t in favor of it who mostly showed up to voice their opinion.”

National health-care reform, a priority of President Obama that’s sparked heated debate at similar town hall-style meetings, was not the sole issue of discussion. Tierney gave a brief opening statement that touched on many issues, including energy, education, and the economy.

“We are looking at a very serious issue on health care, and doing nothing shouldn’t be an option for us,” the Salem Democrat said. “We pay twice as much for health care per person in this country, but we are not getting twice as much of the benefit from it.”

Steve Falvey of Saugus was the first to speak and asked why America allows for-profit insurance companies to dominate health care.

“I agree that part of the problem is with insurance companies and the way they have been treating us for years,” said Tierney. “There shouldn’t be a case where a person is precluded because of preexisting conditions. Many of the companies are using more of the money from premiums for profit and salaries.

“This is one of the issues we are working on with this bill,” Tierney said.

At one point, Bill Hudak of Boxford, a Republican challenger for Tierney’s seat in 2010, stood up and challenged Tierney to a debate in front of the crowd. Tierney denied the request by saying he doesn’t know if Hudak will indeed be running against him because there is yet to be a primary.

“I think we all agree that everyone in America needs health care,” said Hudak. “But where we have the big disagreement is on how to pay for it and who should be responsible for delivering it to the people.”

Patrick Humphries of Bedford said he feels like health reform is being rushed.

“People aren’t just dying in the streets,” he said.

Tierney responded by saying that some 44,000 people die each year because of the lack of health insurance and that health care reform has been an issue since Harry Truman was president.

Over the summer, Tierney was criticized for not holding town hall meetings on health reform, instead conducting his talks via conference call. He closed yesterday’s meeting by saying he appreciated the discussion despite the commotion during part of it.

“We had a debate, and that is the way it should be done,” Tierney said. “These are large issues that need to be solved.”

A second forum is scheduled for Monday, 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the cafeteria of the Berry Building at North Shore Community College in Danvers.

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