Bill Posey

MELBOURNE, FL – Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) has announced that the location of next week’s Healthcare Town Hall Meeting has changed due to an overwhelming response by interested constituents. The new location will be at the King Center at Brevard Community College, approximately 3 miles from the original location. Staff will be present at the Holiday Inn (the old location) to direct constituents to the King Center in order to help citizens who did not receive notice of the venue change.

“We’ve gotten a tremendous response,” said Congressman Posey. “Three days after announcing the location of our event, we more than doubled the available capacity of the original location.  We want to be able to comfortably accommodate as many constituents as possible and the King Center at Brevard Community College can help us meet the growing demand.”

“I want to thank everyone at the Holiday Inn, Brevard Community College and the Brevard Community College King Center for offering their facilities in service to our community,” added Posey.

The event will include presentations by Congressman Posey and Mr. Dennis Smith, former Director of the Federal Center for Medicaid and State Operation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A panel of representatives from local health care providers, medical practitioners, and the business community will also be available to field questions from residents. Congressman Posey sent both President Obama and Vice-President Biden an invitation to attend the forum as well.

What: Healthcare Town Hall Meeting

When: Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Time: 6:30 – 8:30pm

Where: The King Center at Brevard Community College

3865 N. Wickham Road

Melbourne, FL 32935

Map of the Brevard Community College Campus:

http://www.brevard.cc.fl.us/pdf/maps/melbourne.pdf

Open to all Residents of Florida’s 15^th Congressional District

RSVP appreciated but not required.

RSVP online at www.posey.house.gov/RSVP/

RSVP by Phone: 321-632-1776

*If you have already RSVP’ed, you do not need to re-register for the event.

Last week Posey sent copies of the 1,017 page health care reform proposal to the main public libraries of both Osceola and Indian River Counties and has made a copy of the bill available to constituents who want to read it in his Melbourne office as well.

Over the last several months, Congressman Posey has been gathering input from constituents, local health care professionals, and policy experts on health care reform and how Congress should proceed. Last month, Posey held two telephone town hall meetings with constituents on the topic, has hosted several roundtable discussions with local health care experts, and toured community health centers in Indian River County.

Posey, who has received thousands of letters, emails and phone calls from constituents, said that it is important to hear from residents about what they like and don’t like about their current health care plans and reiterated his pledge that he “will not vote for legislation in its final form that he has not been afforded proper time to read and evaluate.”

MELBOURNE, FL – Today Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) hosted a roundtable discussion with constituents and local health care experts to listen to their concerns and ideas as Congress begins consideration of health care legislation in the coming weeks. Some Congressional leaders have already drafted legislation, but details like the overall cost of their proposals, the degree to which individuals will have control over their benefits, and ways to pay for the reforms have yet to be flushed out.

“The first step is to listen to what folks like and don’t like about their current health plans,” said Congressman Posey. “There are several bills currently floating around Congress, but the process needs to involve individuals who will be impacted the most by reform efforts being drafted by politicians in Washington.”

Thursday’s roundtable discussion brought together representatives from 13 local health care organizations including Health First, Wuesthoff, Physician’s Assistant Associates, MIMA, AARP, Congregations for Community Action, Brevard County Health Department, Pediatrics of Brevard, Brevard Health Care Alliance, Brevard County Medical Society, and constituents from the surrounding community.

House Majority leaders recently put forward a proposal for a government plan which relies heavily on tax increases on small businesses, limited choices and the creation dozens of new entitlement programs. Three other plans have been offered in the U.S. Senate by three different Committee Chairmen as well.

In the past, the House has approved Small Business Association Health Care plans – 6 times in the last 7 years – but special interests have exerted enough pressure to block the idea in the Senate. Association Health Plans allow small businesses owners to pool their resources together with other members of their respective trade associations across the nation to create a larger pool. The larger pool can be used to buy health care in bulk, bringing down the cost much like the way the federal government offers health insurance plans.

Posey said he has already gotten a lot of feedback from his constituents, many of whom like their currents plans and want to keep them. Others say they want to be sure that they can continue to choose their own physicians and the benefits that their plan includes; or that they like their current plan but need some help paying some of the cost. Some seniors say they are worried Congress will eliminate the Medicare Advantage program to pay for new reform proposals. In the 15^thCongressional district more than 40,000 seniors have chosen to enroll in a Medicare Advantage health plan.

“There are several fundamental principles that are going to guide me as we move forward with any health care reform legislation,” said Posey. “First, do no harm – every American should be able to keep their current plan, today and tomorrow. Second, I will not vote for any bill in its final form that I have not been given proper time to read and evaluate.”

Posey added that he wanted to hear from constituents on this issue and folks can contact him through his website www.posey.house.gov.