Health Care For All?
EmailABC’s John Hendren reports from Washington.
President Obama has launched a campaign to achieve one of his most ambitious goals: overhauling the health care system. He plunged into the debate over the weekend, using his weekly radio and Internet address to declare "it's time to deliver" on health reform. And that's only the beginning. Yet, the president is still facing an uphill battle on Capitol Hill.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley Tweeted today that President Barack Obama "got nerve" to go sightseeing in Paris while telling lawmakers it's time to deliver on a health care overhaul. Despite strong opposition from most Republicans to one of President Obama's key goals for a health care bill senators on both sides of the aisle hold out hope that they can find a bipartisan solution.
"I would hope people of both parties would get together. I was encouraged by Sen. Grassley's comments in the last few days suggesting that he thought we could get there," Obama senior adviser David Axelrod said today on CBS. "So I think we'll be able to build a bipartisan support for it. But we have to move forward with it, I think it is a critical situation for the country and our economy and our future."
Watch John Hendren’s full report tonight on World News Sunday.
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The only reason congressmen do not want a public health care system is that they are in the pockets of the greedy such as the AMA, Hospital assoc for thousands or hundreds of millions over a period of ten years. Why would anyone vote for a plan that costs over thirty percent more? Greed! Greed!
Posted by: honeststeve | June 7, 2009, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
If the Scandinavian countries which have the highest standard of living in the world can have healthcare for all of their citizens..why can’t the US. I’ll tell you why..because the insurance lobby is strong on capitol hill and they would not be able to keep ripping off the citizens of this country. Healthcare ought to be a right for every citizen and not a privilege. Health care is a privilege in the United States of America..and we like to boast that we are the richest country in the world..what’s the point being the richest country in the world and our standard of living is not as high as the Scandinavian countries?
Posted by: Stanley | June 8, 2009, 2:22 am 2:22 am
NO TO GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE CONTROL….WE DO NOT NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO NOW CONTROL HOW WE ARE CARED FOR BY OUR PRIMARY DOCTORS. LET THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND WORK HERE IN THE USA. GOVERNMENT HAS MESSED UP OUR LIVES ALREADY. LEAVE OUR MEDICARE AND PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES ALONE.GOVERNMENT HAS CAUSED US TO BE DEEPLY IN DEBT BECAUSE OF OBAMA’S SENSELESS BAILOUTS. IF OBAMA CAN AFFORD TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD AT OUR EXPENSE, LET HIM PAY FOR HIS PERSONAL TRAVELS ETC ON HIS OWN. THE MEDICAL FIELD HAS ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH OVERPRICED MEDICAL LAW SUIT PROTECTION INSURANCE, SO LET THEM HELP KEEP US HEALTHY. WE DO NOT WANT SOCIALIZED MEDICINE LIKE CANADA, GREAT BRITAIN, OR FRANCE. SPEAK WITH THEM AND FIND OUT HOW HEAVILY TAXED THEY ARE IN ORDER TO GET WHAT WE CALL FREE/CHEAP HEALTH CARE. I SAY, OBAMA AND GOVERNMENT, CLEAN UP YOUR OWN HOUSES BEFORE YOU KEEP INTRUDING INTO OURS, LIKE SAM SEX MARRIAGE,ABORTION,TAKING GOD OUT OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR LIVES. WAKE UP AMERICA, GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED HEALTH CARE WILL COST YOU MUCH MORE THAN MONEY…IT MAY COST YOU YOUR LIVES WHEN THEY FEEL YOU ARE TOO OLD OR TOO SICK TO CARE FOR YOU. WAKE UP NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE….VOTE NO TO OBAMA’S SURGE TO HAVE NEW HEALTH CARE BY AUGUST….TOO FAST AND TOO COSTLY WITHOUT ALL THE INFO. PEACE I LOVE USA ALWAYS.
Posted by: Jeanne Therese | June 8, 2009, 7:38 am 7:38 am
Hello Jeanne Therese! You don’t have to type in all caps for us to see what you’re saying. You are a rabid GOPer. Supply and Demand is leaving almost 50 million people uninsured. Your kneejerk response is to say that Americans do not have a “right” to health insurance. Maybe not but the choice of private health plans today is no choice for many. Low premiums but $5000 deductibles, unrealistic coinsurance, high copays, continuing denials. Private insurance cherry picks among the healthy. They don’t want to cover all the uninsured. It’s too risky. So let’s have an alternative – something which will help those who can’t afford private plans. It is clear to me that private health insurance has NOT provided the answer to healthcare in this country and never will.
Posted by: Bob | June 8, 2009, 8:17 am 8:17 am
In our enthusiasm, or actually Obama’s enthusiasm to get what he wants when he wants it, to respond to the populist call for all Americans to have health care coverage we must be careful not to jeopardize what millions already have and may lose under the new proposals. If currently covered people wish to continue with their existing coverage they will run the risk of extraordinary increases in cost forcing them to go to a government plan that will dictate what doctors they can use, what tests they can have and, overall, will reduce health care coverage rather than increase it. A plan to help one group of people can seriously jeopardize the interests of most current Americans. Therefore, a prudent plan, not a rushed one with an arbitrary deadline, must be developed that will not force people to drop current coverage for less. Further, the idea of taxing peopel for coverage employers may now be providing is terrible, thus adding to the economic woes of Americans already suffering financial difficulties.
People tend to emotionally respond to what seems to be good and just but without considering the implications for all and not just one group. People not covered by health insurance should have it but not at the expense of those who already have it, worked for it and paid for it.
Posted by: Sy Brotman | June 8, 2009, 9:53 am 9:53 am
I’d really have to study the outcomes of socialized health care in Europe before I comment fully on whether I think Obama’s plan is a good one.
That said, what I *do* know about socializing medicine does not encourage me. While I understand how a government-run option could easily hurt private health care providers, I also understand that it would be American tax dollars that would pay for health care. That means that whether someone already has an insurance plan or not, they’ll be subsidizing someone else’s health care in the same way we’re already subsidizing the welfare state.
I’m not opposed to helping the needy–I regularly donate to charity.I also agree that the health care system is broken (I remember watching the medical community in Las Vegas tank under the weight of skyrocketing insurance premiums driven largely by attorneys).
I’m just not sure that Pres. Obama’s plan is the best one–or even a good one. I think we need to take a look at what the *causes* of not only the broken system, but also of our poor health issues, are before we go sprinting for the magnitude of changes Pres. Obama seems to be proposing.
Oh, and as someone else mentioned, there’s no need to post in all caps–that’s much more likely to get people to ignore your post at first glance.
Posted by: Stan J (Not the previous "Stanley" | June 8, 2009, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
Say what you will those of you who have been and are against Obama…you will see in time…he will take care of all us not just the rich like our republican
candidates. We need a President to take care of each and every person in this Country, where needed and President WILL do it…give him time..you will see.
Posted by: Mary Ann | November 8, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm