Commentary:
President Obama’s performance in last night’s news conference has confounded even members of his own party. He seems to have no SPECIFIC vision beyond his rhetoric and well rehearsed lines. Now, as members of the House and Senate begin to look for potential cover if the public push back becomes too severe, we may be facing the loss of a great opportunity.
We have, in hand, great momentum towards meaningful Real Health Reform. However, the President has allowed the most radical elements of his party to have too much say in writing the proposals and this has given fodder to his opposition as well as to many mainstream members of his own party. That opposition could well derail any hope of meaningful change.
Mr. President, PLEASE reread the major points listed in our plan. Here they are for you to see:
– prevent any health insurer from denying coverage to ANY applicant for any reason other than non-payment of premiums
– prevent health insurers from dropping any subscriber for ANY reason other than non-payment of premiums
– limit the ability of health insurers to raise premiums or, as we have argued, treat them as a regulated utility with profit limitations of less than 10%; this is the most important cost control measure there is (doctors and hospitals do NOT set payment rates, Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurers do – all providers can to is opt out of a plan if the reimbursement is too low, which more and more are doing)
– extend “Cobra vouchers” to those who have lost jobs or become to ill temporally to work.
– assist those who lack means or are disabled to get into the Medicaid system or Medicare disability system
– begin to move away from an employer based system, by creating an individual mandate for coverage
– if you seek to keep the employer based system as the bedrock, then extend health deductions to ALL (individuals as well) or to NONE
– ELIMINATE your insistence on a Public Plan Option; it is divisive, it likely will severely limit if not eliminate over time private health coverage (which is clearly the goal of the ‘single payer wing’ of your own party) and would reassure many who fear total federalization of the health care system as in Canada
– stop playing politics, which you say you don’t, but do; letting Ms. Pelosi lead the charge on anything is inherently political – you lead, and fight for what is NEEDED not for what is ideologically desired
– the House bill is loaded with social engineering provision, not real health reform: parks, jogging tracks, minority set asides for health research, federal funding for abortion, mandatory ‘end of life’ counseling, comparative effectiveness boards to determine ‘what works’ as in what we will pay for – none of these is at the essence of Real Health Reform in America.
Mr. President, we do not need to copy England or Canada or any other nation. We have the premier system here. That is why Sheiks, Shahs, Sultans and Kings have come to America for decades for their high tech care. That is also why Canadians do as well. Because our system innovates and then disseminates. It has flaws and they can be fixed without the tampering and social engineering being attempted by the more radical members of your party.
Please Mr. Obama, refocus you leadership and bully pulpit on Real Health Reform that can benefit the majority of working, legitimate American citizens. Please do so before this opportunity is lost for anther decade or more . . . obi jo and jomaxx
Senator: Democrats ‘baffled’ by president’s health care stance – http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/21/senator-democrats-baffled-by-presidents-health-care-stance
Obama To Dem Congressmen: “You’re Going to Destroy My Presidency”! – http://nicedeb.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/obama-to-dem-congressmen-youre-going-to-destroy-my-presidency
Dems Start To Push Back Hard To Prevent A ‘Waterloo’ – http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/hca_20090722_6620.php
The Blame Game – http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/73972
Obama Moves to Reclaim the Debate on Health Care – http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/us/politics/23obama.html?_r=1&hp
Obama Defends ‘Rush’ for Health Care Reform, Says ‘Stars Are Aligned – http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/22/health-care-reform-key
Sen. Hatch Exits Health Care Reform Negotiations, Citing Concerns Over Cost – http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/22/sen-hatch-exits-health-care-reform-negotiations-citing-concerns-cost
Doctors Wage War Against Obama’s Health Care Overhaul – http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/22/doctors-wage-war-obamas-health-care-overhaul/
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