CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Town hall meetings hosted by congressional lawmakers across the country this month are packed with frustrated and angry people wanting to talk about health care reform.

On Monday night, Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., braved a crowd in Chandler.

For several hundred people who rushed to Basha High School right after work, a fence outside was as far as they got.

Police and fire officials stopped letting people in when the gym filled up. The atmosphere inside got plenty loud but not unruly. Signs were not allowed inside.

Flake said he came to listen more than speak to more than 1,400 people in chairs and bleachers in the gym.

"Well, I'm 57 years old, I have health care issues on the horizon. You don't want to mess that up," Doug Pelton said.

The crowd likely never boiled over in part because Flake is already lined up against much of the president's current plan for health care reform.

"There are a lot of reform alternatives on the table," Flake said. "And a lot of us are upset that those aren't being considered. That we're simply moving very quickly toward government-run health care. And that's not where we want to go."

Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., held a similar town hall meeting on Sunday.

Shadegg said he believes individuals, not employers, should choose their own plans from the private options.

"You and I buy our own auto insurance policies, and auto insurance rates aren't going through the roof. We buy our own homeowner or renters' insurance policy, and homeowners' and renters' insurance are not going the roof in terms of cost. But our health care policy is," Shadegg said.

President Barack Obama believes that the problem of escalating health care costs for families can be combated with his idea that includes a government health care plan, but also allows for private options in an effort to assure that everyone has health insurance.