At Cobb forum, Gingrey's attack on health care bill delights most attendees

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By Shelia M. Poole

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

During Monday’s town hall meeting on health care reform, it became clear very early that U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey was preaching to the choir.

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A crowd of about 200 people gather at the Cobb County Civic Center Monday to hear U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R, Marietta) speak about HR 3200. Most of the crowd clapped when Gingrey spoke, but there were a few hisses when he mentioned jokingly that the bill may be renamed the "Ted Kennedy bill."

Elissa Eubanks,eeubanks@ajc.com A crowd of about 200 people gather at the Cobb County Civic Center Monday to hear U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R, Marietta) speak about HR 3200. Most of the crowd clapped when Gingrey spoke, but there were a few hisses when he mentioned jokingly that the bill may be renamed the "Ted Kennedy bill."

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Conrad Quagliaroli arrives minutes late with a sandwich sign across his body with people clapping around him in reaction to the words of U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R, Marietta) at a town hall meeting at the Cobb County Civic Center.

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Treva Murphy, 62, of Kennesaw, confronts George Davis, 61, of Acworth about his sign before the town hall meeting. "We do want health care reform," Murphy said, "What we don't want is government health care."

Elissa Eubanks,eeubanks@ajc.com Treva Murphy, 62, of Kennesaw, confronts George Davis, 61, of Acworth about his sign before the town hall meeting. "We do want health care reform," Murphy said, "What we don't want is government health care."

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Gingrey, who represents the 11th District, walked into the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta to a standing ovation and almost immediately went on the attack against H.R. 3200.

“This is not Trivial Pursuit,” he said. “This is hugely important. Nothing could be more important that our health care.”

Gingrey noted the large number of older residents in the audience. He said many of them were rightly concerned about what health care reform, as proposed in that bill, would mean to Medicare as well as its cost.

Gingrey, a Republican, said that Medicare could take a significant hit, particularly in the Medicare Advantage program. He said that program could see as much as an 18 percent cut. “This is going to literally gut Medicare Advantage,” he said

Hundreds gathered in the huge auditorium to listen to Gingrey and to ask questions about reform.

Bill Hall of Marietta wondered what would happen to his 88-year-old mother. He also wanted to know what could be done to save and expand Medicare.

Kelly Bush of Smyrna asked what was being done to eliminate waste and fraud.

Bush said she is against reform because she feels it would add more debt.

“It’s just not fair to everybody,” she said. “It’s not fair to those who work hard and seek employment with a company that offers health care. I don’t think that just because you wake up in the morning that gives you the right to health care. It’s a privilege.”

A few people showed up with pro-reform signs. But the most visible was George Davis of Acworth, who said he felt a bit like a “lightning rod.”

Several people cast sideways glances at Davis, who held a big sign that read: “WWJD Health Care Reform For All Now ... Affordable, Stable, Accessible, Portable ...”

“I think it’s the responsibility in a civilized society to make sure all people can be as productive as they can and how can you be productive if you’re missing days at work because you don’t have health care,” Davis said.

The 11th District includes part or all of several counties including Bartow, Cobb, Gordon, Polk and Floyd.

Gingrey is a member of the U.S. House Health Subcommittee and co-chairs the GOP Doctors Caucus.