MEDIA, PA - Continuing his tireless efforts to promote comprehensive health care reform legislation, Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate, Congressman Joe Sestak held a town hall where he specifically addressed health care issues for people with disabilities. The event was hosted by Liberty Resources, a non-profit, consumer-driven organization that advocates and promotes independent living for persons with disabilities. Joe emphasized key provisions in the landmark American's Affordable Health Choices Act that he helped shape and pass through the Education and Labor Committee.

"After 15 years without an effort at comprehensive health care reform, while costs have risen 120 percent and more than 10 million Americans have lost their insurance - we have an opportunity to enact legislation with the key components required to revamp our current system: mandated coverage, subsidies to those who cannot afford insurance, and a public health option that adds needed competition to a system in which two companies provide 70 percent of all health insurance in Pennsylvania," said Sestak. "Of particular importance for people with disabilities, this bill would eliminate coverage denials or higher premium charges based on pre-existing conditions"

Taking a lead role in supporting true reform, Joe appeared tonight at his fourth health care-dedicated town hall this month and has scheduled three more over the next six days. He will take health care questions during a forum at the Heinz-Menker Senior Center in Harrisburg tomorrow at 6:00PM, followed by: an event focusing on women's health issues with Women's Way founder Lynn Yeakel at Bryn Mawr Sunday at 4:00PM; and a town hall-style debate with Republican Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey next Wednesday in Allentown at 6:30PM.

Joe stressed other facts about the bill that benefit the disabled community, including an end to lifetime limits on benefits and a cap on out-of-pocket costs, which is of particular importance for those with disabilities who often need considerable costly medical care. In addition, the bill established minimum benefits for all health plans, requiring them to provide a certain level of core services.

"Even with these measures, effective reform must have a component that creates competition in the health insurance industry to drive down costs, and offering the choice of a public health care option has that result," said Sestak. "The choice of a public plan - and it is only a choice - will have a major impact as, even though it is subsidized by premiums and co-pays like any other plan, it will not be paying a multi-million dollar contract to a CEO nor incurring advertising expenses. A public option is good for the pocketbooks of working families and I was proud to vote for it in the bill I helped pass in the Education and Labor Committee."