Specter, Sestak Put Health Plan To Vets

PHILADELPHIA - Sen. Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak each held another town hall meeting Monday morning on health care.

Both lawmakers heard an earful from voters last week as they toured the state. The two are battling to secure the Democratic nomination for Senate in the 2010 May primary.

Over the weekend, Specter said he doesn't believe the "in your face" opposition he experienced at town hall meetings last week is a true representation of how American's feel. Many voters are angry about President Obama's proposed health care overhaul plan.

The latest town hall meetings came as it seems the White House may be ready to ditch a controversial element of its overhaul plan.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said a government alternative to private health insurance isn't essential to the proposed overhaul.

Sebelius also said over the weekend that Americans who are satisfied with their current insurance plans would be able to keep them.

Specter and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki – both of whom are veterans – answered questions Monday about benefits, health care and the G.I. bill at Drexel University.

They talked about how much funding veteran services are receiving in the 2010 budget.

Asked about budget challenges in his own state, Specter said, "If it weren't for the stimulus package, no one knows how bad it would be. And the stimulus has added funds for veteran installations all around the state and country."

Shinseki talked about how research gets funding and addressed remarks that veterans should receive more financial support.

"For 2010 the VA budget has been increased by 15 percent. It is the largest in probably 30 years that any serving secretary has been given, that kind of an opportunity to make some changes in the department, 15 percent over this year's budget" Shinseki said. "So, it's a significant step up from last year. We also do research. We have to do research if we're going to continue to provide high-end, top quality, cutting-edge health care in the years down the road. That has to be part of our budget."

Meanwhile, Sestak heard from veterans at the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center Inc. on North 4th Street in Old City.

The former three-star Navy vice admiral and the highest-ranking military member ever elected to Congress addressed veterans' questions about health care, job training and education opportunities.

In remarks before Monday's sit-down discussion, Sestak stressed the need for change. He pointed some of the blame at Specter – whom he's challenging in the 2010 Senate primary – for siding with President George W. Bush on economic policy and tax cuts.

"Look around you. One out of every four homeless is a veteran, and (Specter) voted against $7.5 billion to increase VA … and as chairman of Veterans' Administration he permitted an underfunding in those two years of $4 billion, where the VA had to come back and ask for more money to take care of our vets returning from war," Sestak said.