Congressman Thompson Starts Week of Healthcare Town Hall Meetings

2nd District Congressman Bennie Thompson is holding a series of town hall meetings this week to discuss President Barack Obama's health care proposal. MPB's Lawayne Childrey attended the first meeting in Jackson last night.

“We’re about to get started with the town hall meeting.”

More than six hundred people filled the Stringer Grand Lodge with many spilling outside. Congressman Bennie Thompson said he wanted to meet with his constituents to help dispel certain myths about the proposed health care plan.

“That there are no death panels in the legislation. The legislation is silent on abortion. So there is so much that people who have not had any working knowledge on the bill say.”

But as soon as the public questioning begin abortion was clearly on the mind of Jim Shambly.

“It says it’ll give federal funds for healthcare and if a lady says I want an abortion, it says no you can’t have it?” “It’s not in the bill.”

For Juanita Stuart Brown the concern was the impact of doing nothing.

“The insurance rates are higher on those with healthcare because of the uninsured. So once everybody becomes insured costs will be controlled.”

The national debate has focused on various plans including a public option. Thompson spelled out where he stands on the subject.

“What I will support is whatever vehicle affords us the opportunity to provide the greatest coverage for those individuals who right now don’t have insurance. It could be a public option, it could be a cooperative. But at this point my goal is to provide coverage.”

The debate on healthcare reform is still in the early stages. If a final version is approved by congress it won't take effect until 2013. Thompson will hold another town hall meeting in Greenville tonight. And Senator Roger Wicker will hold a similar meeting in Natchez this afternoon. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.