A good panel interrupted

CHEYENNE -- The Democratic Party sponsored a panel of health care professionals who talked about reform one evening last week at Laramie County Community College.

It wasn't well attended, largely, I suspect, because of the foul weather. It was an interesting exchange, though as the pros shared their views about the state's needs and health insurance.

The panelists were Dr. Brent Sherard, Wyoming Department of Health director and state health officer; Lorraine Saulino-Klein, RN; Mary Forrester, RN Family Nurse Practitioner; and Lance Proctor, MD.

Although the meeting was sponsored by the state and Laramie County Democratic parties, it wasn't partisan at all.

It was rolling along nicely when a woman came in, sat toward the back and at first said nothing. Then she interrupted one of the speakers to proclaim that health care reform is being shoved down the throats of citizens.

Whereupon Forrester pointed out the bills before Congress are available online for anyone to read.

She said House Bill 3200 prevents insurance companies from denying people coverage for pre-existing ailments.

Whereupon the visitor said the bills are too long and even the Wyoming congressional delegation hasn't read them.

Forrester said people who visit the Laramie clinic are like anyone else who has had hard luck. People without insurance don't get preventive care and if they get sick they wait and are likely to end up in the hospital.

Sherard also made a pitch for preventive care. He said he sees people at the community clinic in Cheyenne to keep his hand in.

When Forrester suggested Medicare is a popular program and could be expanded to become the public option, the mystery woman erupted again, claiming loudly that Medicare is corrupt.

She blew up again when her statement that most people don't want the public option was challenged.

A man in the audience said the latest poll showed 57 percent of people favor the public option.

That's when the woman got in the man's face. He identified her as an anti-tax, anti-government tea party goer. And she stalked out.

Mike Bell, the moderator, said the same woman had also disrupted an earlier meeting on health care reform in Cheyenne.

The question is how these rude people can believe they're making points by being publicly obnoxious.

Then again, she may have been just another misguided follower from the town meeting mobs.