Affordable health care for all Americans was the subject of a town hall meeting Saturday at Universalist Unitarian Church. Of Peoria.

Panelists for the event included doctors, labor leaders and politicians, all discussing the best way to provide health care coverage without bankrupting employers or tax payers.

"There was a report released at the end of last year that said 1.8–million people in Illinois don't have health care," said Josephine Kalipeni, one of the organizers of the event. "About 18 people a week die because of lack of access, prolonged care or affordability issues."

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-18th District) attended the event. He says there's a delicate balance between providing health care for those in need without diminishing the plans of those already insured.

"The overwhelming majority of my constituents want to be able to maintain their relationship with their physician," Schock told News 25. "They value that more than anything else. They want to make sure that big brother and big government doesn't get in the way of their relationship with their physician. I think that's very important, in the health care debate, that we're not rationing care."

According to one of the panelists, health care premiums have increased at 4 times the rate of wages over the past decade.

Saturday's event was organized by the Campaign for Better Health Care.