Rep. Castle calls for health reform ‘time-out’

As the health care reform debate continues to dominate the political debate around the country, Delaware Congressman Mike Castle (R) says President Obama may need to call a ‘time-out.’

As the health care reform debate continues to dominate the political debate around the country, Delaware Congressman Mike Castle (R) says President Obama may need to call a ‘time-out.’

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Speaking to members of the Wilmington West Rotary Club Wednesday, Castle says while he believes Obama is well intended, but “there’s just a lot of consternation out there, and I don’t see this happening easily or quickly. My sense is, anything that happens now is going to be forced through.”

Castle says the health care reform effort must include changes in medical malpractice cases to reduce frivolous lawsuits. He also wants to streamline insurance paperwork, so that all companies would use common forms and procedures for payment.

Castle says he’s not sure if the health reform plan will get approved before the end of the year. That would be a big departure from President Obama’s preferred time line. During a speech outside the White House on July 15, Obama urged the House and Senate to “finish their critical work on health reform before the August recess.” As that deadline came and went , what followed was an outpouring of constituent anger directed at the reform plan and members of Congress holding town hall meetings back in their districts.  Castle addressed some of the actions at those meetings, “I think it’s very counterproductive, because as a result, you don’t have the communication that we’re going to have here today, or that you might have otherwise.”

Castle is planning a town hall meeting on Thursday, August 27 at Christiana Hospital’s J.H. Ammon Medical Education Center.  The meeting is open to the public and will be held from 6 to 7:30 pm.