Protesters urge Grassley to back public option health-care plan

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Protesters urge Grassley to back public option health-care plan

Ed Tibbetts | Posted: Wednesday, October 7, 2009


About 50 Quad-Citians demonstrated in front of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley's Davenport office Tuesday, urging the Iowa Republican to back a health-care reform plan with a public option.

Some of the participants conceded Grassley isn't likely to do so. He's already voted in the Senate Finance Committee against a public option, a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private firms.

Still, picketers urged him to listen to the voices of his constituents.

"You need to negotiate for Iowans, not Republicans," said Carol Brown of Bettendorf, a member of Progressive Action for the Common Good of the Quad-Cities.

Alta Price, a Bettendorf physician and local health-care activist, said doctors back a public option because they aren't afraid of dealing with the government.

"They've dealt with Medicare for years," she said.

Other speakers said action is needed to reform the system now before costs grow more out of control.

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http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_64603666-b2f7-11de-80e4-001cc4c002e0.html