Town Hall Health Forum Not Dramatic But Emotional

OXON HILL, Md. (WUSA) -- In a packed room at the public library, Representative Donna Edwards hosted a town hall meeting on healthcare reform that may not have been as dramatic as its counterparts across the country, but it was nevertheless emotional.

The gathering began at 6pm with Maryland's 6th District Representative clarifying some news accounts she said her constituents may have heard.

"No one's going to choose your doctor," sats Rep. Edwards. "So set aside the noise."

She also says that The Congressional Budget Office's estimate on the cost of the current reform proposals doesn't include how much the government will save for its focus on prevention.

Lastly, she discussed what's known as the "healthcare surcharge," which she told the audience only would apply to "98 percent of us."

As soon as Rep. Edwards opened the meeting up for questions, arms shot up all over the room. One family came from Baltimore because their local representatives were not holding any similar events.

"I'm here to make sure that my voice gets heard," Gloria Cooper Blue told Edwards after describing her daughter's health issues. "My daughter is a special needs child. She's five years old. She does not walk. She does not talk. My husband and I both work two good jobs. We just have to make sure that we have healthcare for her becasue there have been times when I've had to stop working to be her primary caretaker. And when I do that, that's a loss in income."

The Baltimore woman came to the meeting to offer her story for Edwards to use as an example in support of congressional efforts.

Across the room, Fort Washington resident Dale Anderson held up a copy of the HR bill for healthcare reform. He pointed out how not one mention was made in the heavy stack of legislation proposals regarding tort reform.

"If they're sincere about cost control it seems there should be something in there about tort reform," says Anderson, adding he has other concerns about the bills. "I think we need to straighten out medicare and medicaid because there's fraud and a lot of inefficiency in the record keeping. I think that people who don't want insurance should not face a fine if they don't get it."

Two voices among many who spoke up Thursday night. Many who attended the meeting stayed long after it was over to share their stories.