Senator hears local health care concerns

“The country has awakened all of a sudden,” the junior senator said to a room of nearly 200 at the Tennessee Technology Center on Main Street, speaking of holding 23 town hall meetings plus more than 30 county meetings across Tennessee. 

Senator Bob Corker met with constituents last Thursday in Hohenwald in a series of town hall meetings.

He spoke of supporting American troops with sound policies and found audience applause when he said, “No company should be too large to fail.”

When it comes to health care, the senator said he was hopeful “when we [get] back to Washington in September we can pass the common sense test.”  

Local residents demonstrating their passion for their cause met at the door those attending the meeting with songs of peace and funding health care not a war.  They held signs in favor of a Single Payer system.

Senator Corker said early in the meeting he believed the health care problems could be solved with insurance reform and pork reform, gaining more approval from the crowd.

Insurance companies who exclude people with preexisting conditions create financial burdens and health care crises for people who need access to affordable health care, he indicated.

“Private, affordable health care” can be accomplished “without adding one penny to the federal deficit,” he continued.

Several questions from the audience were answered but even more people saw Senator Corker leave without having questions answered.

Pete Sommer asked why the Federal government plans to spend billions on digitalizing medical records, when in his opinion, the process creates longer delays for patients and security issues.

Senator Corker acknowledged the importance of security, efficiency and technology in medical records.  He promised to look into the issue more fully.

A question concerning the war from Dale Hull brought a hint of opposition from others when he asked “How long will we let these men die?  How long will we hold our greatest punch in reserve?”  Senator Corker admitted he just returned from Afghanistan and more than 2,000 Al-Qaeda  operatives who “wish us harm are not in Afghanistan,” he said.  “We need to rethink our response to terrorism,” he added.

When Senator Corker acknowledged the “greatest punch” meant nuclear weapons, local resident Amy Nicholson spoke out but briefly in opposition to their use.

Examples of Veteran’s medical treatment received at Veteran’s Administration hospitals were used as concern over a Public Option, by another person from the audience.

Local resident Elizabeth Barger spoke in favor of a government run health care plan for Americans.  “Rip offs in private insurance are bigger than in government insurance,” she said as part of her argument. 

“If you don’t like the insurance plan you have, you can change it.  If you don’t like government bureaucracy, you are out of luck,” Senator Corker responded.

Gene Medford asked Senator Corker to vote no the the Cap and Trade bill (see a Nick Loris commentary, print version page A •3, “Generous assumptions on Cap and Trade do not mask the costs”).