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Sports blog: Stamford Sports Scene

By ROBERT KOCH

Times Staff Writer


STAMFORD -- The topic was airplane traffic over Fairfield County, but many people at Stamford Government Center on Thursday night wanted to talk about health care reform in Washington, D.C.

Whether federal legislation now under discussion in Washington will help or harm the health of Americans depended upon whom you asked.

"Why is nothing addressed on tort reform?" asked Mary Ellen Cortigiano of Milford. "No. 2, are you going to live under the same healthcare plan?"

Congressman Jim Himes, D-4, said the bill before the U.S. House of Representatives doesn't address tort reform.

"(Tort reform) is not trivial, but it's also not the solution here," said Himes, who put costs associated with medical malpractice at 2 to 4 percent. "Will I live under the same health care plan? Absolutely."

About 100 people, including Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, attended the meeting arranged by Himes to give his constituents an opportunity to speak with FAA administrators about airplane noise and flight paths.

After an hour on airplanes, Himes opened the floor to other topics, and healthcare reform soon took center stage.

Voices rose, at times, between speakers who labeled the reform measures as "socialized medicine," and others who labeled private insurance companies the real "terror."

"I don't understand why so many people are terrified of a government option. I'm more terrified of the insurance companies," Jill Kovacs of Fairfield said.

John Piccolo of Stratford, however, said, "no matter what the government gets its hands on, it destroys it."

Earlier in the evening, a number of people waiting for the meeting to start spoke to The Hour about health care.

"I just wanted to tell (Himes) not to vote for the insurance bill as it is," Mike Feldman of Stamford said. "We have the best medical care in the world. (The bill) is going to raise taxes. Right now is not the time to change health insurance."

John Lawrence, another Stamford resident, said his daughter, a nurse, has lupus and was denied treatment by her health insurance company. He said he would like to see all Americans covered and insurance premiums capped.

"I'm very, very concerned -- we all are. This is a very, very serious issue," Lawrence said.

Joanna Heller of Cos Cob carried a sign reading "Medicare for All." She said she came to push for a single-payer health care system -- something Himes later stressed is not under consideration in Washington.

"I'm here to push for a single-payer system," Heller said. "It's the most efficient. It's the most economical. It makes the most sense."

Asked about the prospects of health care reform legislation being passed, Heller answered, "Very poor."

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