WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins will host a forum to discuss health care reform Wednesday, August 12, at the Topeka Holiday Inn Holidome, 605 SW Fairlawn Rd., from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Jenkins will moderate a discussion among Kansas health care experts.

“Our nation’s health care system needs to be reformed. While I support making affordable health care available to all Americans, I am opposed to the current proposals in the House of Representatives,” Jenkins said. “This is a very complex issue, and it is very important for folks to have the chance to ask questions about how these plans will affect them. I am pleased that five health care experts will join me for a panel discussion and forum to talk about health care reform.”

Congresswoman Jenkins will be joined by Jerry Slaughter, Kansas Medical Society; Tom Bell, Kansas Hospital Association; Dennis George, Coffey County Hospital; Scott Chapman, Manhattan Surgical Center; and Dr. Neal Lintecum, an orthopedic surgeon from Lawrence. Congresswoman Jenkins will open the forum with an update about current legislative proposals in Washington before moderating a discussion with the panelists about health care reform.

Jenkins continued, “Reforming our nation’s health care system will affect each one of us, and it’s critical that we get it right. The panel experts will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in health care to the forum, and I look forward to learning from them. I am confident that we can improve availability of affordable health care, but doing it will require cooperation from Congress, patients, doctors and everyone involved in health care.”