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Published by The Virginian-Pilot.
There was no shouting, fighting or angry protesting.
Sunday's "Community Conversation on Health Care" held at the Five Points Community Farm Market was heated only by the afternoon sun.
About 50 people came to hear from health care professionals and advocates about the different overhaul options.
"My goal is to educate and inform," said Nic Renz, one of the event organizers. "We can affect this legislation. It's up to us to engage the politicians."
Andrea Miller, a former congressional candidate, and Drs. Keith Newby and Margaret Flowers each took turns talking about their experiences in the health care system and what elements of the proposals they supported.
They focused on the single-payer option in HR676 and the public option in HR3200.
Newby, of Cardiology & Arrhythmia Consultants in Norfolk, admitted he's still looking for a concise summary of the various proposals. But he said it's clear that people who take care of themselves should be rewarded with incentives, such as lower premiums.
"This is just a single person's opinion," he said.
Flowers, a Baltimore pediatrician who serves as co-chairwoman of Maryland's chapter of Physicians for a National Health Care Program, and Miller, outreach coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America, both spoke in favor of the single-payer system.
They said the single-payer system would not require the creation of a new bureaucracy and has fewer concessions to corporate lobbyists. Miller also said that under HR3200, health insurance would be a requirement enforced by the Internal Revenue Service. The bill is also considerably shorter.
Overall, the attendees were praised for educating themselves.
Renz is organizing a candlelight vigil for Wednesday night in Norfolk. It will coincide with others being held nationally by MoveOn.org in an effort to show support for the public option before Congress returns to session. The vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Colley and Spotswood avenues.
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