Obama: Healthcare reform no 'luxury' - "unprecedented commitment" to deliver for Harry and Louise.

[jefferson_dem]

Obama: Healthcare reform no 'luxury'
Posted May 10, 2009 9:00 PM
by Mark Silva

President Barack Obama, planning a meeting at the White House on Monday with "stakeholders'' in the health care debate, also plans a midday public address on "reforming the health care system to reduce costs.''

"We cannot continue down the same dangerous road we've been traveling for so many years, with costs that are out of control, because reform is not a luxury that can be postponed, but a necessity that cannot wait,'' Obama plans to say Monday, according to excerpts of his statement released by the White House this evening.

This follows receipt of word at the White House today from some major groups with an interest in the healthcare debate that they are ready to get serious about containing costs: The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America; the Advanced Medical Technology Association, which represents device makers; America's Health Insurance Plans, which represents insurers and the Service Employees International Union.

."It is a recognition that the fictional television couple, Harry and Louise, who became the iconic faces of those who opposed health care reform in the '90s, desperately need health care reform in 2009,'' the president plans to say Monday. "And so does America.

"That is why these groups are voluntarily coming together to make an unprecedented commitment,'' the president will say. "Over the next ten years - from 2010 to 2019 - they are pledging to cut the growth rate of national health care spending by 1.5 percentage points each year - an amount that's equal to over $2 trillion."

Obama will deliver emarks Monday at 12:30 pm EDT, following a meeting with healthcare interests in the Roosevelt Room of the West Wing.

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http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/05/obama_healthcare_reform_no_lux.html

[msongs]

1. "they are pledging to cut the growth rate of national health care spending ..." - NOT giving up any

thing they have now. B.S. being touted as something worthwhile.

Msongs

[HopeOverFear]

2. good news

He said he's ready for a fight, and he's about to get one.

[vaberella]

3. How did I know you'd be the one to post this article?!

I just read it and I don't know what to think. I'm one of the people who's a strong advocate for the public option that is not watered down but is a viable choice to the American people to allow 46 million people to be insured. I hope that this doesn't offset O's plans, which I don't think it will. It does however imply massive change and great news. The private sector is feeling and fearing major pressure. The clout they assumed they had in the 90s is offset by the decline of the economy (this decline has it's good and bad points I must say). Even if people could afford to pay for health care, they'd rather not as other costs are giving them problems.

The public option is actually a positive thing because American companies that relocate or have outsourcing places in Canada because they don't want to pay for health care. It will bring back jobs into the nation and work towards dismantling the private sector even more. Which is definitely what I'm expecting.

The only problem is, that I get the feeling the Repubs and some idiot Dems are going to jump on this to water down the health bill O is pushing. At the same time, the onset of the pandemic H1N1 flu (another good and bad) is making Repubs take a step back because everything they push to get omitted ends up being top priority in the coming months. What does that mean?! I think O will say thanks for lowering your prices as you were going to have to. With the public choice option (one that will mos likely not be watered down) they will have to lower their massive fees even more. Since O has enough clout that he doesn't even to water it down. I get the feeling the $2 trillion might be used as an incentive for the Repubs, but as I mentioned they're in too much of a hole to even loudly push something watered down.

The great news about this and one that is not mentioned....Big Pharma has just been hit hard. People rarely talk about how the Pharmaceutical companies make billions off the back of the poor and clueless..well they've just been fucked by O twice over. First with the compromise by the private sector---which will probably not affect O and secondly by O and his public option. However, really...O used them both ways to Sunday.