Obama calls health care industry pledge to cut costs “a watershed event” on path to reform
EmailABC News’ Karen Travers reports: President Obama said the health care industry’s pledge to cut $2 trillion in costs over 10 year was “a watershed event in the long and elusive quest for health care reform.” Obama lauded the cooperation among various interest groups with a stake in the issue, after meeting with representatives from the insurance industry, the medical community, pharmaceutical companies and labor groups. The president said that health care reform must and will be achieved by the end of the year. He noted that the groups he met with today do not agree on every element of his health care plans and they represent very different constituencies with different interests. But they are cooperating because of a shared sense that something must be done. “What’s brought us all together today is a recognition that we can’t continue down the same dangerous road we’ve been traveling for so many years, that costs are out of control, and that reform is not a luxury that can be postponed, but a necessity that cannot wait,” he said. Obama cited the memorable fictional couple, Harry and Louise, who became the face of opposition to health care reform in television ads in the early 1990s. Obama said that today, Harry and Louise “desperately need health care reform,” and so does the nation. Obama reiterated much of his rhetoric from the campaign trail on this issue and said that when it comes to health care spending, the United States is on an “unsustainable course that threatens the financial stability of families, businesses, and government itself. ” He framed this as an imperative in order to reducing the federal budget, which he said was on a “disastrous path” because of Medicare and Medicaid costs that will climb as the baby boomer generation ages. “[G]etting health care costs under control is essential to reducing budget deficits, restoring fiscal discipline, and putting our economy on a path towards sustainable growth and shared prosperity,” Obama said. Obama outlined his three principles on health care: rising costs of health care must be brought down Americans must be able to keep their doctor and health plan or switch if they want to All Americans must have quality, affordable health care As he did on the campaign trail, Obama spoke about his mother, who died from ovarian cancer. “I know what it’s like to see a loved one who’s suffering, but also having to deal with a broken health care system. I know that pain is shared by millions of Americans all across this country,” he said. “And that’s why I was committed to health care reform as a presidential candidate. That’s why health care reform is a key priority to this presidency. That’s why I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is finally achieved in the United States of America.”
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So he’s going to take my money and pay for healthcare for illegal aliens? Oh and we’re all going to have the SAME healthcare? Will that be the SAME healthcare that Congress has? Oh, I thought not. Statism rules this country until we can take it back. God help us.
Posted by: ConservativeWoman | May 11, 2009, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
We have very uneven levels of care now, depending upon your stage in life, insurance, hospital, gov’t care program.. is there really a benchmark, is it a minimum level, is it a VA type of thing, is it just a single pay and electronic switchover..
Is it time for a Czar to explain this ‘plan’??
Is it socialized medicine based on a Western European model? Am I the only one who is befuddled (ok, about this.. we can’t go into the rest of my befuddlement)..
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 11, 2009, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
When you have seen family members dying because they have denied medical care, as they had insufficient coverage. When your sick child could not afford 14 drugs to keep them alive. Yes! I think its time for a European type health care, without worrying about co-pays and premiums? Only the wealthy like the broken system the way it is, because they can afford everything they need, including home visits by prestigious physicians. We–THE AMERICAN PEOPLE–are given less service, specially if you have been laid-off from your job. However the fact that hundreds of thousands of well-heeled investors make massive profits in the medical industry–AS THAT IS WHAT IT IS–AN INDUSTRY. The million dollar ads on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies are already here to scare people off a European system Their biggest worry is that it will eat into their enormous profits? Nobody on the lower pay scale will get decent humane medical care, while the monolithic for-profit insurance companies are involved, as they will bleed every penny they can from us. Before the British legal and illegal immigration invasion of the 1950′s, my distant relatives assured me they received first class health care from the government.
For once I agree with Sen. Reid and Democrats in passing Comprehensive Health care reform. Hopefully it is the Single Payer system, but with so much corruption in politics and the influence of lobbyists for elitists in the trillion dollar medical insurance industry it’s unlikely? THE PEOPLE do not need middleman anymore as they become rich of the backs of sick people. It will be very interesting to see what is enacted on Capitol Hill? Too much money to be made by both parties, for UHC to succeed. Large Campaign Contributions buys a lot of influence in our politics? Let us see if the majority of Democrats and president Obama are really concerned about the working man? Just remember that Health care is a trillion dollar—FOR PROFIT— industry in America, that does not work for the average person. We saw E-Verify, the legal status verification system, dissolved by Harry Reid and House speaker Nancy Pelosi. Perhaps this time they will contribute to a hurting economy by introducing Universal Health Care for all?
Just have to ensure illegal nationals go home to get health care–NOT ON THE BACKS OF US TAXPAYERS? CALL YOUR SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES AND DEMAND IT?
Posted by: Brittanicus | May 11, 2009, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Don’tget818onmenow:”Am I the only one who is befuddled”
There is no set plan yet. Unlike the stimulus, there isn’t really a rush on this – we’re in the first weeks of a many month process of defining options and, indeed, the specific questions we want to address.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 11, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
We are already paying for health care for illegals and even US citizens who do not have insurance. It is one of the big reasons why health care is so expensive. Hospitals pass the costs of treating these people on to everyone else. Something needs to be done. Millions of people work hard every day in jobs that have no health coverage.
Posted by: Waterboard All Conservatives | May 11, 2009, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
I am an American that lives in Canada and the health care here leaves no one behind the poorest person has health care and is seen by a doctor no matter what. You are treated for cancer and other diseases with no money out of your pocket. Why a big country like the United States can we not afford to have the same kind of health care as they do here. People are under the impression in the states that the government tells you what doctor to go to. I can go to any doctor I want I picked my own doctor and if I need to see a specialist yes I have to go thru my doctor but its not a big deal. As Brittanicus said health care is a big business in the states and the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies have there lobbyist to control the politicians we need to tell these crooks they are elected by us and we can vote them out at any time. I am really disappointed that the US does not take care of there poor or the children of our future open your eyes and see that other countries have made health care affordable. EJ
Posted by: EFJ | May 11, 2009, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
Maybe health care would be affordable if the hospitals didn’t charge ridulous amounts of money for example a Motrin or Tylenol they charge like 50 dollars for one pill now that is gouging people they need to rethink how they charge insurance companies and insurance companies need to tell them that a simple Motrin does not cost 50.00 dollars a pill wake up AMerican and see what Hospitals and Insurance companies are doing they are the ones that are making it impossible for the average joe to be covered. Shame on the insurance companies. RJ
Posted by: RJ | May 11, 2009, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
Obviously the cost problem is all the fault of greedy individuals and their lawyers. These people should not be allowed to sue the people who are trying to help them. The solution is to increase the salaries of the executives that run the large pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and insurance companies, say double their salaries, to pay them for their service on a national “corporation”, like the FDIC, that will discuss and create policy that will reduce health care costs while keeping their businesses viable, even increasing their profits, so that they can continue to serve us.
Posted by: wildoaklane0 | May 11, 2009, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
I just have to wonder if the new health care system will be similar in its’ complexity to that of the tax code?
I do believe that there has been extreme and unfair profit taking on behalf of medical and legal alike.. one may blame the other, but ultimately the consumer and taxpayer generally lose.
I’m so old that I remember a billboard in my hometown that read ‘ Medicare or Electicare ‘.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 11, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm