Health Care Battle Lines Drawn

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Amid all the pleasantries and promises of cooperation at the White House today, with President Obama convening his health care summit, very real battle lines are emerging — and you may recognize them from, say, 1993-1994. On ABC News Now’s “Politics Live,” David Chalian and I interviewed two key stakeholders: Jacki Schechner, from the advocacy group Health Care for America Now, and Mike Tuffin, executive vice president of America’s Health Insurance Plan, a prominent group that represents health insurers. Schechner expressed skepticism about how serious interest groups like America’s Health Insurance Plan, which helped sink President Clinton’s health-care plan, are about collaborating for a solution that dramatically expands coverage. “Well, of course they want a seat at the table, but that’s about the end of where I take [them at] their word,” she said. “They’re going to do everything in their power to maximize their profits.  That’s what insurance companies do. So, you know, they say all the right things and use all of the right buzz words, but they’re saying a lot of ‘no’ behind the scenes.” Obama, she said, “can swing open the doors to the White House and hear everything that everyone has to say, but he’s made it clear over and over and over again that he’s not going to … bend down … and ingratiate himself to the special interests in Washington, and that he’s not going to do what the insurance companies and drug companies want him to do because that’s what Washington’s done for way too long.” Tuffin insisted that his organization is serious about finding a solution in collaboration with the Obama White House. And he noted that the problems in the nation’s health-care system have worsened in the last 15 years. “Costs have continued to escalate. We have more uninsured. There are gaps in quality. We have people falling through the cracks. As the economy goes into crisis, health care follows along,” Tuffin said. “So the situation has gotten worse.” For now, at least, he’s giving the president points for style. “I think style is important, and I think the president bringing everyone together around the table sends a message that this is a very different process,” he said. “This isn’t a massive, 1,300-page bill crafted in secret. This is, ‘let’s get everyone in a room, everybody has a say in this process, let’s roll up our sleeves and let’s find common ground.’” Any guesses on how long it will be before Harry and Louise make a return?