Are you concerned about the rising costs of health care?

To learn about possible changes today&squo;s health care reform debate in Washington could deliver, everyone is encouraged to come to a community health care forum Tuesday, June 30 at Green Creek Community Center, Coxe Road in Green Creek. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the short film: &dquo;Sick Around the World&dquo; will be shown at 7 p.m. The film examines tried and tested ideas of five countries that deliver health care to all.

Following the film, a panel of distinguished professionals will lead a community discussion on health care reform.

Panel members are: Dr. Garrett Snipes, Dr. Becky Collins, Todd Neel, Erik Bundy and Jim Van Hecke.

Dr. Snipes is a family medicine physician, now specializing in palliative medicine, and works for Hospice of the Carolina Foothills. &bsp;

Becky Collins, PhD nursing, has been a Tryon resident for the past eight years and is retired from the college of nursing at Clemson University. She serves on the board of trustees for St. Luke&squo;s Hospital and on the board of the Polk County Health and Wellness Center.

Todd Neel, a Saluda resident, practices in Henderson County. He has worked as a nurse practitioner in WNC since 1996, first in adolescent health and then in family practice with Blue Ridge Community Health Services. Neel now works in palliative care with Four Seasons in Henderson County. He is a member of Physicians for a National Health Program. He received his degrees at Vanderbilt University.

Erik Bundy was a Navy medical corpsman for four years,then worked for the government as a civilian contracting officer for 26 years. While in government service, he and his family lived overseas for 21 years, where they experienced first-hand national health care in Saudi Arabia, Holland, Germany and Belgium. Bundy is currently retired and works as a volunteer for Thermal Belt Outreach.

Jim Van Hecke, a Polk County resident for 10 years, helped move Pavillon to Polk County and served as its director until 2003. He then established the Addiction Recovery Institute, a nonprofit corporation providing leadership training and professional development services to the mental health and substance abuse field. He currently serves as board chair for the Polk Wellness Center, an integrated care facility in Columbus that provides primary care, mental health substance abuse education/prevention and wellness services.

Everyone is encouraged to come and discuss the options and what citizens should do to get the health care system that best serves all.

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