Congresswoman Kathy Castor held a telephone town hall forum Thursday night with thousands of Tampa Bay area residents to discuss health insurance reform and take questions. "Telephone town halls are convenient for busy families who often do not have time or are unable to attend an event in person. The telephone town hall is one of the many ways our neighbors and Bay area residents can ask questions and relay opinions about health insurance reform," Castor said.

Over the past few months, Castor has elicited the opinions of the Tampa Bay area community and held a series of news conferences to highlight different provisions in the health reform legislation, such as Florida's doctor shortage, need to improve primary care and wellness, new investments in community health centers, and lowering costs for families and seniors. Earlier today, Castor met with representatives of local hospitals to hear their opinions on health reform. Castor's Web site is devoted largely to health care issues. Letters, emails and calls to her office are encouraged.

Approximately 5,000 residents participated in the question-and-answer session. Castor's health care telephone town hall meeting was targeted to Congressional District 11, which includes Tampa, and parts of St. Petersburg, Bradenton,  Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties, but the call-in number also was posted on her Web site so that anyone - inside or outside her district - could participate.

Castor’s telephone town hall meeting Thursday night was her third this year. Approximately 4,500 Tampa Bay area residents participated in Castor’s last health care telephone town hall meeting, which was held in June. Audio for that meeting can be found at /Events/.

“Holding a telephone town hall meeting is an effective way for me to hear from thousands of residents across the Tampa Bay area,” Castor said. “It’s convenient for my neighbors too. You don’t need to leave your house to participate. Folks simply answer the phone to access the call or dial in, which is helpful to those who cannot travel or suffer the August heat and thunderstorms.”

Castor’s telephone town hall meeting was one of several ways she is reaching out to constituents to discuss health insurance reform. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Castor has been involved in crafting the health care reform legislation and fighting for Florida’s priorities. As part of that process, she has been actively engaged with constituents and health care professionals across Florida and the Tampa Bay area. Castor also sends regular health reform email updates to health educators, practitioners and citizens who have expressed an explicit interest in the development of the legislation.