Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama brought his universal health care message to the Seacoast.
As NHPR correspondent Roger Wood reports, the first term senator held a community forum to collect ideas for such a plan.
The 46 year old senator told an audience of about 150 people in Portsmouth that he believes he can build support for universal health insurance by the end of his first term as president.
But Obama also conceded that changing the nation's present health care policy will be difficult.
"Transitioning a system is a very difficult and costly and lengthy enterprise. It's not like you can turn on a switch and you go from one system to another."
The cost? Up to a hundred billion dollars a year in federal expenditures, Obama told the group.
The Illinois Democrat heard a mixed message from those attending about the current health insurance system. Some at the forum told of paying large monthly premiums for high deductibles. Others said they're satisfied with their employer-paid coverage.
Obama said he plans to collect more information before proposing a plan.
For NHPR News, this is Roger Wood.
