The Central Oregon Health Council is holding a town hall meeting this Friday to discuss the latest efforts in Oregon to reform health care.  State Representative Jason Conger of bend is on a Health Care Committee and says this town hall will help people and business owners better understand how the reform will affect them.

Conger says some projections show the price tag for Medicaid, or the Oregon Health Plan, will grow from $3 billion to $8 billion a year in the next 3 years.  He says a higher demand coupled with year over yearincreased health care costs show this isn't sustainable.  "They are budget busters, in effect. So what has motivated the State of Oregon to take a lead on healthcare reform, specifically on Medicaid, we simply can't leave the system the way that it is."  Conger will moderate a discussion featuring Mike Bonetto, the Health Care Policy Advisor to the Governor, and other local health care experts.