About 50 Quad-Citians demonstrated in front of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley's Davenport office Tuesday, urging the Iowa Republican to back a health-care reform plan with a public option.

Some of the participants conceded Grassley isn't likely to do so. He's already voted in the Senate Finance Committee against a public option, a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private firms.

Still, picketers urged him to listen to the voices of his constituents.

"You need to negotiate for Iowans, not Republicans," said Carol Brown of Bettendorf, a member of Progressive Action for the Common Good of the Quad-Cities.

Alta Price, a Bettendorf physician and local health-care activist, said doctors back a public option because they aren't afraid of dealing with the government.

"They've dealt with Medicare for years," she said.

Other speakers said action is needed to reform the system now before costs grow more out of control.

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on a proposal within days. Four other congressional panels already have done so, although the Finance plan is expected to be a key part of any final package.

Grassley is the top Republican on the committee.

His opposition to a government-run insurance plan - and some of the statements he made during the August recess - have angered many reform backers.

One of the signs at Tuesday's rally asked of Grassley: "why don't you care? 22,000 dead Americans. Public option now."

A 2004 Institute of Medicine study said lack of health insurance leads to 14,000 deaths annually. Reform backers say the number has grown since then, but that's been disputed.

A Grassley spokesperson responded the senator has taken a lot of input from Iowans.

"During the town meetings, he heard from Iowans on all sides of a government-run plan," Beth Levine said. "Sen. Grassley believes that the government is an unfair competitor in the marketplace that would create fewer health care choices for everyone, ultimately leading to a single-payer system like Canadian health care."

Tuesday's demonstrators called it a "myth" that a public option would lead to a government takeover of the system.