President's Statement on Senate health care reform bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 2, 2009
WhiteHouse.gov

Statement by the President on Health Care Reform Bill Released by Senate HELP Committee Today

For decades, Washington has failed to act as health care costs continued to rise, crushing businesses, families and placing an unsustainable burden on governments. Today the Senate HELP committee has produced legislation that lowers costs, protects choice of doctors and plans and assures quality and affordable health care for Americans. The Congressional Budget Office has now issued a more complete review of this bill, concluding that it will cost less and cover more Americans than originally estimated. It also contains provisions that will protect the coverage Americans get at work. When merged with the Senate Finance Committee’s companion pieces, the Senate will be prepared to vote for health reform legislation that does not add to the deficit, reduces health care costs and covers 97% of Americans.

The HELP Committee legislation reflects many of the principles I’ve laid out, such as reforms that will prohibit insurance companies from refusing coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and the concept of insurance exchanges where individuals can find affordable coverage if they lose their jobs, move or get sick. Such a marketplace would allow families and some small businesses the benefit of one-stop-shopping for their health care coverage and enable them to compare price and quality and pick the plan that best suits their needs.

Among the choices that would be available in the exchange would be a public health insurance option. The public option would make health care affordable by increasing competition, providing more choices and keeping the insurance companies honest.

The legislation also improves the quality of patient care, improves safety for patients and strengthens the commitment to preventive health care – preventing people from getting sick in the first place.

I thank chairman Kennedy, Senator Dodd, and all the members of the HELP Committee for their hard work on health reform.

Obama calls for public health insurance option

President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he was open to the idea of a public funding of health insurance, the latest twist in his ambitious and difficult goal to reform the country's health care system by year's end.

The White House on Wednesday made public a letter detailing how the president hopes to make health care available to the 46 million Americans -- about 15 percent of the population -- who have no coverage.

"I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans," Obama said

"This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest," Obama said.

The US health care system is largely in private hands. Americans with health care coverage normally have it through their employers, their spouse's employer, or through an employed parent.

Read more...