McDermott tells health forum he backs 'public option'

Seattle Congressman Jim McDermott remembers the last time health reform was on the national agenda.

"I was there in '93 and '94 and watched the process, so I've seen this movie before," he said, referring to the failed effort during Bill Clinton's presidency. "I didn't like the ending, and I want this one to have a different ending."

In his first town-hall meeting on the current health-care effort, McDermott, D-Seattle, expressed anger over what he views as scare tactics from foes of any health-care reform.

"If you can scare people, you can make them do anything," he said. "Everything you hear is about: 'You're going to lose something, someone's going to take something away from you.' Some of these things are reprehensible, and it's all being done to scare people."

Addressing 900 people in Meany Hall for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington, McDermott said he supports a proposal in the House that would provide health and prescription-drug coverage for more people and help small businesses provide employee health insurance through tax subsidies.

McDermott said he is supporting President Obama's push for a "public option" — a government health plan that would compete with private insurance companies — in whatever plan is finally approved.

Audience members Tuesday night were mostly receptive to what McDermott had to say. Signs were not allowed inside the auditorium, and the crowd was less boisterous compared with those at other forums in the region.

But there was still lively discussion.

While McDermott gave a brief presentation on what the various proposals would do for the 45 million people in the United States who currently lack health insurance, a shouting match broke out among audience members.

One man shouted: "You're lying!" while another one countered: "Let this man talk!"

Some in the crowd who oppose any health-care effort challenged the congressman by asking which health-care plan he would be covered by.

McDermott responded that as a federal employee, he has a Blue Cross plan with which he is quite content and that he anticipates sticking with the plan until his time in Congress ends.

Jason Mills, an Everett resident, was not happy with some of the congressman's answers.

"He didn't answer the question," he said. "He danced around it like a really good Democrat."

McDermott also got heat from those who support a single-payer system, under which the federal government would handle health-care payments.

"Doesn't it makes more sense to take HMOs (health maintenance organizations) and pharmaceutical companies out of the whole health-care issue and make it a single-payer system for all Americans?" asked one audience member.

McDermott told the crowd his preference would be for a single-payer system.

"I understand the frustration of the people, I feel frustrated myself, but that's not going to stop me from pushing to get the best public option we can get," he said.

Marnette Federis: 206-464-2521 or mfederis@seattletimes.com