Now that the U.S. Senate has passed its version of a health reform bill, Robert Kesterson, from the Little Hocking area, says it's time for both Republicans and Democrats to get to work on final legislation.

"I just wish both sides would get together and settle this," he said. "They need to get rid of the partisanship and start working for the people they represent."

Incoming Marietta Councilman-elect Mike McCauley agreed.

"I think this voting along party lines for a health care bill is just wrong," he said. "There are a bunch of people in both parties who are not working for their constituents. And if they change their bills in any way, it has to go back through both houses again."

Terasa Seeber of Lowell said she's tried to follow the proposed health care legislation, but it's not easy.

"I can't keep up with it," she said. "And I don't think (the legislators) really know what's in these bills. I think any health care bill should be voted on by the people, because it's going to affect everybody in the end.

"And the problem isn't that people don't have insurance, it's the insurance companies that charge so much people can't afford it," Seeber added. "We shouldn't have to go through all of this."

Kathy Keller, spokeswoman for AARP's Ohio office, said the organization is pleased with the outcome of Thursday morning's Senate vote.

"We're very happy that health care reform has gotten this far," she said. "We applaud the Senate for its action, and hope both houses will bring an improved bill out of the conference committee."

Keller said that committee's work would begin after legislators return to Capitol Hill in mid January.

"It's not over yet, but we're happy with the progress so far. And we'll have staff and volunteers on the Hill pushing every day to be sure that our members are well-represented and do not lose benefits in this legislation," she said.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, was one of several senators who received a phone call of thanks from President Barack Obama following passage of the Senate health reform bill.

"American families know first-hand that health insurance premiums have been skyrocketing," Brown said in a press release Thursday.

"This bill will lower costs for middle class families with insurance, while providing help to 31 million Americans who lack it," he added. "And insurers will have to play by a new set of rules, including an immediate ban on pre-existing condition exclusions for children.

"The bill also invests in small businesses - providing an immediate tax credit to help employers cover their workers," he said. "If we're going to rebuild our economy, we need to ensure that small businesses - which create more than 64 percent of our nation's jobs - are not crushed by exploding health costs."

Brown added that seniors on Medicare would see prescription drug costs cut in half and would have access to free annual check-ups and screenings.

But Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said in another release that he did not vote for the bill.

"Something as enormous and complex as health care reform should have been accomplished through bipartisanship and complete transparency," he said.

"I pray, along with many of my constituents, that the American people will take time over the holidays to read the final Senate and House health reform bills and continue to let their voices be heard as the chambers prepare to reconcile their differences and complete work on final health care legislation," Voinovich added. "That will be our last opportunity to pull the emergency brake on this fiscal train-wreck.

"Democrats are raising taxes by more than half-a-trillion dollars," he said. "Paying for health care reform by placing these additional financial burdens on American families and small businesses will further impede our ability to compete in the global marketplace and, ultimately, our economic recovery.

"This bill is full of budget gimmicks to mask its true cost of nearly $2.3 trillion over 10 years when fully implemented," Voinovich said. "The bill will cut Medicare by $467 billion, which will impact health coverage for our seniors. I am particularly troubled by these cuts as the current Medicare program is already on shaky footing and expected to be insolvent by 2017, with $37 trillion in unfunded liabilities.

"I do not understand how my colleagues think we can do more when we cannot even afford what we have now," he said. "Additionally, I cannot support this bill because it directly and indirectly allows taxpayer dollars to be used to pay for abortions."