Obama Tries to Rally Support for Health Care Reform at Town Hall Meeting

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Obama: 'Not Too Soon' to Move on Health Care

President Barack Obama says he recognizes the heavy price tag of revamping the health care system but that it would be much more costly to do nothing.

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The most dramatic moment came from Debby Smith, 53, of Appalachia, who was near tears as she described for Obama her fragile health, which included a recently discovered tumor for which she cannot get treatment.

"I have no health insurance. I have a new tumor and I have no way of paying for it," she said.

Obama waved her over and gave her a hug, saying, "I don't want you to feel like you're all alone." He promised to "find out what we can do within existing law" and called Debby the "perfect example" of the kind of person whom health care is intended to help.

Afterward, Smith seemed less than satisfied with Obama's reassurances, telling reporters that it was still unclear how she would get the treatment she needs before she becomes eligible for government aid in nine years.

Obama's other questions from the audience came from a union worker who asked what she could do to help him, and another from a health care activist who urged Obama to talk about how to make health care more affordable.

The questions from the Internet were a bit sharper.

One person Twittered whether it makes sense to tax people's health care coverage as a way to pay for health care reform. That led to a long explanation from Obama of the various proposals for financing health care reform, including his own for capping deductions for wealthy individuals.

"This is something that's going to be debated in the House and the Senate," Obama said. Pointing to Virginia's new U.S. senator in the audience, he added: "Mark Warner's going to have to weigh in on it."

A physician from Texas -- later proudly identified by the White House as Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R) -- challenged Obama to support caps on medical malpractice awards, something the president has refused to do.

In response, Obama described the case for such caps, saying that advocates believe it would reduce the amount of "defensive medicine" that doctors and hospitals practice. But he said he remained convinced that people with legitimate grievances should still be able to collect.

"I do want to work with doctors to find ways where they can reduce their liabilities," he said. "Are there ways we can reduce the constant threat of lawsuits that doctors and hospitals face?"

Another video question came from someone named Steve, who wondered why the president doesn't simply advocate a "single-payer" plan that would involve the government insuring all Americans.

It was a question Obama was ready for. He launched into an explanation of the evolution of the American health care system, calmly describing how difficult he thinks it would be to shift the U.S. system into one that looked like a European one.

"For us to transition completely from an employer-based [system] . . . could be hugely disruptive," he said. "We should be able to find a way to create a uniquely American solution to this problem."

The online town hall was the second hosted by the White House. In its first Web-oriented town hall meeting , held in the East Wing of the White House in late March, Obama answered questions that were the top vote-getters on WhiteHouse.gov's "Open for Questions" platform, where more than 93,000 people submitted a total of 104,000 questions and cast 3.5 million votes.

The White House will address the issues and questions that get raised most in these various online platforms, Macon Phillips, the White House new media director, wrote in a blog posting Saturday on WhiteHouse.gov.

In many ways, health care reform has been the top priority -- and an opportunity to experiment -- for Phillips and his new media team. As early as December, the incoming administration started using YouTube and the campaign's massive e-mail list to build grassroots support around the issue. When Obama sent his first e-mail from the White House in mid-May, the subject line read: "Health care news worth sharing." Two weeks ago, WhiteHouse.gov and the White House's official Facebook page streamed a live online chat on health care.