Lisa Murkowski:

“It does us no good to incite fear in people by saying that there’s these end-of-life provisions, these death panels,” Murkowski told a crowd of about 130 at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center.

“Quite honestly, I’m so offended at that terminology because it absolutely isn’t (in the bill). There is no reason to gin up fear in the American public by saying things that are not included in the bill.”

Murkowski said the nation’s health care system needs reform to control costs and improve access to care, but bad legislation will only make it worse. Last month, she voted against a health reform measure that emerged from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

“I’ll be honest with you,” Murkowski said. “There are things that are in this bill that are bad enough that we don’t need to be making things up.”

Murkowski said she’s holding four town hall meetings on health care. An aide said the meetings start Thursday in Fairbanks, then will be Aug. 20 in Anchorage, Aug. 28 in Wasilla and Aug. 29 in Soldotna.

“I look forward to that input and if it’s spirited, that’s the way it is,” Murkowski said.