Obama ‘will not rest’ until healthcare reformed

[kpete]

Source: The Hill

Obama ‘will not rest’ until healthcare reformed
By Jeffrey Young
Posted: 05/11/09 01:37 PM

Comprehensive healthcare reform will be accomplished this year, President Obama declared Monday, saying, “I will not rest until the dream of healthcare reform is achieved in the United States of America.”

Obama addressed reporters in the White House after meeting with representatives of physicians, hospitals, health insurers, drug companies, medical device manufacturers and healthcare workers, who jointly vowed to cut national healthcare spending by $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

“They're here because they recognize one clear, indisputable fact: When it comes to healthcare spending, we are on an unsustainable course that threatens the financial stability of families, businesses and government itself,” Obama said.

“This is a historic day, a watershed event in the long and elusive quest for healthcare reform,” he said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-will-not-rest-until-healthcare-reformed-2009-05-11.html

[Spacemom]

1. I so badly want to believe in this

but it's more along the lines of "I'll believe it when I see it." :shrug:

[lostnotforgotten]

2. Yet - He Has Massively Failed Already By Precluding Single Payer From Consideration

eom

[Oregone]

5. Spot on

[AndyA]

12. That's right.

And why is that? Has Obama said why single payer is off the table? Has he explained why he's going to allow the companies that created the problem the chance to have input in the process, but single payer proponents are shut out?

This stinks. Something very foul is going on, I fear.

[aquart]

15. Sigh. Yep.

[bkkyosemite]

3. If he is talking that they will lower prices than he is NOT talking single payer!

[Ian David]

4. Now, watch this drive...

Oh, wait.

That was how the LAST pResident did things.

[snowdays]

6. Yup--its a watershed--as SINGLE PAYER IS NOT ON THE TABLE!!

[harun]

7. I thought the for-profits promised to lower prices, reform.... check.

:sarcasm:

I don't like the way they are heading at all. If they think this is reform then we will see a new president in 2012.

[TheMachineWins]

8. Insurance companies saying they'll raise rates 1.5% less per year

Of course, that'll be after a 15% increase per year, so nothing will cost less, N O T H I N G.

[snowdays]

11. The WH is falling for promise--no inforcement..... ha ha.........

“It is a recognition that the fictional television couple, Harry and Louise, who became the iconic faces of those who opposed healthcare reform in the '90s, desperately need healthcare reform in 2009. And so does America,” he said.

According to the interest groups that conceived the proposal, their initiative would reduce national healthcare spending by 1.5 percentage points each year over the next decade, which would translate into $2 trillion in less spending and decrease projected healthcare spending as a percentage of gross domestic from 20.3 percent to 17.6 percent in 2018.

The groups penned a letter to the president in advance of the meeting. Though they do not spell out detailed plans, the groups do suggest ways to reduce spending, such as administrative simplification, payment reforms that would encourage better collaboration between different medical providers, improved management of costly chronic diseases, incentives to better promote prevention and more integration of health information technology.

These types of reforms, which do not touch on more controversial issues such as how to extend coverage to the nearly 50 million people without health insurance, are consistent with legislative proposals being considered by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and other lawmakers.

The promises from these healthcare interest groups also do not come with a means to enforce compliance, the administration conceded. Moreover, the cost-cutting measures endorsed by the organizations will not be enough to offset the $1 trillion-plus expected cost of healthcare reform legislation because Congress only considers the impact on the federal budget, not the entire economy.

[snowdays]

9. Unions for Single Payer HR676*** THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.....

Unions for Single Payer HR676
to me, News

show details 6:38 PM (18 hours ago)


Reply

Follow up message
IAM Local Writes President Obama, Urges Support of HR 676

Burlingame, California. The President and Vice President of IAMAW Air
Transport Employees Local Lodge 1781 have written President Obama on
behalf of their members urging him to give “serious attention” to HR 676,
single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers
(D-MI).

In their letter to President Obama, Larry Wing and Troy Rivera, President
and Vice President of Local 1781 said: “More and more health cost
premiums and deductibles have been shifted to our active and retired
members during the last several national negotiations with airlines. It
is a dangerous trend which begs for a national solution.”

“We continually hear member complaints about the roles of our private
insurers who are supposed to protect us in time of need. In this, we are
not unlike millions of other Americans who share our grief,” the letter
continued.

“We fully support our great International Union, IAMAW, its President Tom
Buffenbarger, and the hundreds of other Labor Unions who have endorsed
Rep. John Conyers’ HR-676. It is our view that HR-676 would provide
affordable universal health care for many of our seniors,” the letter
concluded.

Air Transport Employees Local Lodge 1781 is one of the ten largest locals
in the IAM. Based near San Francisco, it represents ground personnel at
United, Northwest, US Airways, British Airways, Philippine Airlines and
Alaska Airlines. #30#

HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a
greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S.

HR 676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care including
prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and
preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health,
physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision
care, hearing services including hearing aids, chiropractic, durable
medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care.

HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR 676 would save hundreds of
billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the
private health insurance industry and HMOs.

In the current Congress, HR 676 has 75 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB 703, a single payer bill
in the Senate.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 515 union organizations in 49 states including
125 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state
AFL-CIO's (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO,
MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI,
MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).

For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample
endorsement resolution, contact:

Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
[phone]
Email: [e-mail]
http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org
05/10/09

[OwnedByFerrets]

10. We need INSURANCE reform and a single payer Health System

[radhika]

13. Save 30% with Single Payer!

All this Healthcare crapola about the measely 1.5% reduction in FUTURE PREMIUM INCREASES is being spun like a gift. The $2 trillion saved could easily be $15 trillion or more if we insist that Obama move boldly.

If we just ignore the the bleating of the corps and implement Single Payer we'll save 25% or more on administrative costs. This is based on the estimated 30% of premium that is taken by corporate healthcare, compared to the 3-5% of premium that is needed for adminstration by Medicare. If we even implemented a public Medicare-for-all option, those savings would apply to the portion of the population electing that plan. Don't let them pick this trivial accomodation over substantive reform.

[Old Coot]

14. Medicare is no panacea.

I am covered by Medicare and thus know that many Americans have far better coverage through their employer provided plans.

One example is Medicare Part D. It is very poor coverage. Why does it have a doughnut hole? Why all the complexity trying to find an insurance plan that can allow you to get your medication at the lowest possible rate? I refuse to join AARP because it supported the current Medicare Part D. It should be single payer and there should be only one plan. What exists now is a sham.

I also have Blue Cross which provides my medications in a much better manner than Medicare Part D would. Simplified co-pays. All drugs are covered. No Doughnut hole.

No, Medicare is no panacea. I think we need a new plan to cover everybody.

[radhika]

17. Part D is a BushCo Abomination

If you recall, he pushed it through to fulfill a public pledge to get a Rx program. The large Pharma firms insisted on the rule that there could be NO PRICE NEGOTIATIONS. This ensured them a huge windfall. The doughnut hole was also a SOP to the major Healthplans, to not cause seniors to drop their Medicare Supp Plans.

If it was decently structured, and utilized the types of cost controls you can only get by nixing corporations, it would be fine. As it stands NOW, national polls on standard (non corp) Medicare indicate a high degree of patient satisfaction.

[demodonkey]

19. EXPANDED & IMPROVED Medicare for ALL = Single-Payer. nt

[Earth_First]

16. It's going to be a looong night, Mr. Obama...

I'll put some coffee on.

[Iowa]

18. The fact that Obama thinks this is "a historic day" says it all...

He's setting us up for a major sell-out... another corporate give-away. Screw him.

[dysfunctional press]

20. but i'm not going to hold my breath until then.