President Barack Obama on Thursday presented his plan to reform the healthcare system to the public at a town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Obama strongly defended his idea for a government-sponsored health insurance plan at the town-hall meeting today, saying “if the private insurance companies have to compete with a public option, it will keep them honest and help keep prices down.”

Obama said everyday in America millions of worry not about getting well but rather if they “can afford to get well.”

The president said healthcare premiums have increased at a rate of three times faster than what wages have increased adding America has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world.

He stressed it was not his administrations intent to do a “government takeover.”

Obama's drive on healthcare comes as lawmakers seek to craft a bill and pass it through the Senate before their summer break. Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives also hope to pass legislation by August.

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