TRENTON — U.S. Rep. Rush Holt met with practicing members of the medical profession Tuesday and following the roundtable discussion reiterated his belief worthwhile health-care reform legislation, which included a public option, would be signed by President Barack Obama in the next few months.

   Members of the health-care industry in attendance said the discussion was a worthwhile one and restated their own belief reforming the health-care system and providing accessible and affordable care was a necessity.

   The event took place at the Helene Fuld Hospital of Capital Health System.

   Rep. Holt, D-12, said he welcomed the opportunity to hear from those “on the front lines” in health care.

   ”There are a variety of opinions because we have such a diverse population, such a diverse way of providing care and such a diverse way of paying for care,” he said. “We need reform. Too many people are going without insurance. I expect we will have, in the next couple of months, completed health-care legislation signed by the president.”

   With about 47 million people in America without health insurance in 2008, “this legislation will give such people an opportunity to purchase such insurance at group rates with assistance from the government,” Rep. Holt said.

   Rep. Holt said the public option for coverage — proposed to be a government-run nonprofit, which would offer coverage — was still a critical element of the reform package. This option would offer an opportunity to purchase insurance at affordable rates for the 10 percent of the population, which can not find any form of coverage under the current system and must use emergency rooms and charity clinics for care, Rep. Holt said.

   ”I think this is a critical element in the bill to keep downward pressure on the escalating costs of health care,” he added, costs, which are increasing at a 10 percent annual rate, which “is simply unsustainable.”

   The nonprofit public option is part of the reform bill “to control costs and to inject best practices into this legislation. I think that is critically important,” Rep. Holt said.

   Rep. Holt said health-care reform emphasized primary care with more personalized attention and “health-care wellness clinics that are in the community where the people are.”

   ”This legislation would put primary care services in those places and result in a healthier population and, in the long run, a more affordable system,” he said.

   Stephanie Chorney, who introduced herself as a pediatrician and breast cancer survivor, said, “All people living in this country should have affordable access to preventative medical care.”

   Ms. Chorney, who is affiliated with the University Medical Center at Princeton, said the roundtable discussion had been a good opportunity for health-care professionals to offer their opinions and to hear from Rep. Holt what was happening with regard to the reform legislation.

   ”We need to stress wellness rather than sickness,” said Dr. Jane Rohlf, a specialist in internal medicine affiliated with St. Francis Hospital in Trenton. Reform legislation needs to focus on increasing accessibility to and affordability of health care, Dr. Rohlf said.

   ”We’d like to see reforms really truly make insurance universally available and affordable for all Americans,” said Carolyn Torre, director of regulatory affairs of the New Jersey State Nurses Association.

   Ms. Torre said nurses must be recognized as primary and specialty care providers in the health-care system.

   Rep. Holt said the reform proposal would recognize them this way.

   ”I believe through this kind of dialogue we can improve what is already in place,” said Al Maghazehe, president and chief executive officer of Capital Health System.

   As a primarily urban hospital system, where a significant uninsured population resides, “we are anxiously awaiting the outcome of this,” Mr. Maghazehe said.

lotis@centraljersey.com