(August 22, 2009)

The health care reform battle heats up in Corpus Christi. For months, opponents and supporters have been fighting in Congress. For the first time, both sides go head to head here in the Coastal Bend.

What started out as a rally to support health care reform turned nasty. Then opponents and supporters started yelling at each other and police were called in.

Outside of Congressman Solomon Ortiz's office, several residents rallied for and against health care reform.

Supporters are behind the single-pay health care system and want to see President Obama get the legislation passed. Meanwhile opponents call it socialism and believe it's bad for america.

"We believe in health care and health care reform," said Ed Grove, President of Health Care Now from the Coastal Bend coalition. "We basically side with Obama and his plans for a new health care program."

"We want to improve health care, but not by having government run healthcare," said Phil Shaw from Take Back America, an opponent of health care reform. "Government health care doesn't work."

At one point, opponents and supporters started chanting at each other. Police officers were called in to separate both groups and make sure there was no violence.

Congressman Ortiz wasn't available to comment on the protest outside his office. He's planning to hold a telephone town hall meeting next month.

--Manuel De La Rosa, 3News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com