The time for health care reform is now. That’s the message Senator Bob Casey Junior brought to Erie today.

Senator Casey spoke to a room of about one hundred people today, hearing their concerns and answering their questions regarding a top priority in Washington.

According to Casey, 10% of the adults in Erie County are without health insurance. It's the same for 2% of the children. While some people believe lawmakers are moving too fast, Senator Casey said at a town hall meeting in Erie, the time to act on health care reform is now.

"We know enough to take steps to hold down costs, to increase choice, to increase competition, and also to provide prevention and quality standards that'll keep people healthier and keep people from dying, but also save us money," says Casey.

Casey says the Senate's Affordable Health Care Choices 2009 Act would make it illegal for insurance companies to make exclusions for pre-existing conditions. It would make it illegal for them to charge excessive out-of-pocket costs to the patient. During the public question and answer session, there were many concerns about the public option of the health care bill.

"I believe people should have a choice and it gives people the public option gives people another choice along with a lot of choices that are in the private marketplace," says Casey.

But not everyone agrees with this health care reform act.

Dale Hannah of North East says, "I believe the health care plan needs some amendments, obviously there are too many people that are not covered, the expenses are way too high, however I don't feel government regulation of costs and things like that is the way to go."

Mary Van Horn of Fairview says, "We believe that certainly there can be reforms made, but we don't believe it has to be all or nothing in a matter of a month and a half."

Some believe the reform is being rushed... Senator Casey says it's been debated and studied long enough.

"We have a lot of ways to keep people healthier and a lot of ways to keep them from dying, but we're not doing it because some big interest in Washington for years put road blocks in the way, it's time to defeat the special interests and get this passed," he says.

Senator Casey says he hopes the president will have a health care reform bill on his desk to sign into law by mid to late October.