June 23 Press Conference

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There was a lot of good stuff today. I especially liked the remarks on Medicare Advantage, and he also announced movement on the energy bill which isn't getting a lot of press.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Press-Conference-by-the-President-6-23-09


“This energy bill will create a set of incentives that will spur the development of new sources of energy, including wind, solar, and geothermal power. It will also spur new energy savings, like efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer.

“These incentives will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy. And that will lead to the development of new technologies that lead to new industries that could create millions of new jobs in America — jobs that can’t be shipped overseas.

“At a time of great fiscal challenges, this legislation is paid for by the polluters who currently emit the dangerous carbon emissions that contaminate the water we drink and pollute the air that we breathe. It also provides assistance to businesses and communities as they make the gradual transition to clean energy technologies.”

On health care he seemed to mark out some new territory on spending and recent Medicare reform.

“What I’ve said is, if we’re going to spend that much money, then it’s going to be largely funded through reallocating dollars that are already in the health care system but aren’t being spent well. If we’re spending $177 billion over 10 years to subsidize insurance companies under Medicare Advantage, when there’s no showing that people are healthier using that program than the regular Medicare program, well, that’s not a good deal for taxpayers. And we’re going to take that money and we’re going to use it to provide better care at a cheaper cost to the American people. So that’s point number one.”

This is my favorite.

“Why would it drive private insurers out of business? If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they’re offering a good deal, then why is it that the government — which they say can’t run anything — suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That’s not logical.”