Proposed changes to health care are meant to increase the system’s efficiencies, not lessen current services, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl told a crowd of about 60 people Thursday in Kenosha.

Kohl hosted a discussion on health care at the Kenosha Community Health Center, 6226 14th Ave. Those in attendance expressed both hope for and frustration with proposed national health care plans.

Kohl started his appearance with an overview of the county’s health care plans and concerns, issues he called “enormously complicated.” Kohl said, on the whole, that the country has a good health care system, but areas for improvement are evident.

The United States spends about $7,300 per person each year for health care costs, while 30 of the world’s other richest and industrial countries have an average health care cost of $3,000 per person annually, Kohl said. The goal in discussing health care reform is to improve those costs, not hurt the available service, Kohl said.

“We’re trying to change health care not to diminish your health care, but to deal with inefficiencies, waste and fraud that pushes up the costs of health care,” Kohl said.

“We’re delivering a good product but so are these other countries. We’re not trying to diminish the quality, but be more efficient and help provide health care coverage for every American.”

Among the changes he supports is allowing children to stay on their parents’ health care plans until they are 26. He said he also thinks people should give advance thought to living wills and preferences for end-of-life health care options.

Kohl said discussion of a public option in health care was driving most of the concerns on this issue, but that aspect may bring some misconceptions.

“Some say a public option will push out private options, but we want there to be competition,” Kohl said.

Thursday’s discussion included both support of and opposition for various aspects of health care reform from the crowd. There were cheers, grumbles and refutes of some statements, but the tone was mostly conversational rather than confrontational.

Ken Sorensen, an 81-year-old Kenosha resident, said the proposals being discussed are troubling for citizens.

“You guys are scaring the hell out of us,” Sorensen said.

Sorensen said he thinks health care costs for illegal immigrants, unnecessary lawsuits and mandates also were driving up health care costs.

Kohl said there are several bills being discussed currently, but no one bill had been decided upon as the country’s plan yet. Some in the audience did express their concerns with features of the proposal from Democrats in the House of Representatives, HR 3200.

Kohl said he would not support any plan that would make members of the U.S. government exempt from the health care changes that other citizens would face.

“There should be no privileged people here,” Kohl said.

Sarah Billings, a Kenosha resident, said without consumer health care choice these propositions presented an “impossible business model.”

“Because the consumer is completely out of that part of the debate, we can’t make good choices for the value of the dollars we are spending,” Billings said.

Marina Pennington, of Pleasant Prairie, with several signs in tow, said there needs to be more availability for mammograms. She spoke about the impact of health care on the prices of American products. Pennington also said she wants to see a civil discussion on health care that brings people in this country together in a time she referred to as the “greatest single crisis” of this country.

“We need to begin clear, intelligent dialogue, not demagoguery,” Pennington said.

Other specific concerns raised on Thursday included the costs of health care for veterans and coverage for people with dementia. Kohl said these are among the questions that need to be addressed.

“We have a lot of things where health care is not fair and not equitable,” Kohl said. “This is an issue for the future of our country. We need to find a way to reduce the cost of our health care.”

Kohl said a final approval for a national health care plan still could be months away.