Obama visiting Raleigh to discuss health care plans

Raleigh, N.C. — The heated debate over health care reform will take center stage in Raleigh Wednesday as President Barack Obama visits the Capital City to tout his controversial health care reform plan.

Obama will hold a town hall meeting about health care beginning at 11:45 a.m. at Broughton High School's gymnasium at 723 Saint Mary's St.

WRAL-TV and WRAL.com will carry the president's visit LIVE. Watch the video online, and interact with others via a live chat.

School officials said the secret service did a security sweep of the school Tuesday, and will not be allowing anyone inside the building until shortly before Obama arrives.

Tickets were available free to the public, but the deadline for requesting one has passed.

A new government insurance program would compete with private insurers, and insurance companies would be barred from excluding people with pre-existing conditions. The goals are to hold down costs and extend coverage to most of the 50 million uninsured Americans. The price tag: $1 trillion-plus over a decade.

Obama has called on Congress to approve the plan before it recesses the first week in August. Both House and Senate leaders have said that likely won't happen.