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Guest
By President Barack Obama
I have often said that even before this economic crisis hit, we had an economy that simply wasn't creating enough good paying jobs, an economy that wasn't ready to compete in the 21st century.
We have been slow to invest in clean energy technologies. We have watched our graduation rates lag behind too much of the world, and we spend much more on health care than any other nation but aren't healthier for it.
That is why I've said that even as we rescue this economy from a full-blown crisis, we must rebuild it stronger than before, and health insurance reform is central to that effort.
Reform is not just about the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance.
Reform is about every family who has ever worried that their insurance company will refuse to pay for the treatment or medicine that they need.
It is about the Americans who worry that they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change their job.
It is about small businesses that have been forced to lay off employees and cut back on their coverage because it is too expensive, and the biggest driving force behind our federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid.
The consequences of inaction are clear.
If we do not control health care costs, we will not be able to control our deficit.
If we do not reform health care, premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket.
If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day.
These are the stakes of the debate we're having right now.
With all the charges and criticisms being thrown around in Washington, many Americans may be wondering what health care reform actually means for them.
If you already have health insurance, the reform we're proposing will mean more security and more stability.
It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you're happy with it.
It will prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage if you get too sick.
It will give you the security of knowing that if you lose your job, move, or change your job, you will still be able to have coverage.
It will limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay for your medical costs out of your own pocket, and it will cover preventive care like check-ups and mammograms that save lives and money.
If you don't have health insurance, or if you are a small business owner looking to cover your employees, you will be able to choose a quality, affordable health plan through a health insurance exchange, a marketplace that promotes choice and competition.
Finally, no insurance company will be allowed to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition.
Many Americans are concerned about the cost of health insurance reform, and rightly so. That's why I have pledged that reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade.
A majority of the cost can be paid for by reallocating hundreds of billions of dollars that are being wasted in federal health care programs today. This includes over $100 billion in unwarranted subsidies for insurance companies as part of Medicare, subsidies that do nothing to improve care for our seniors.
Our proposals would also slow the growth of health care costs in the long run. They would change incentives so that doctors and nurses are free to give patients the best care, not just the most expensive care.
That's why our nation's largest organizations representing doctors and nurses have embraced our plan.
I have also proposed the creation of an independent group of doctors and medical experts empowered to eliminate waste and inefficiency in Medicare on an annual basis, a proposal that could save even more money and ensure the long-term financial health of Medicare.
Even though we still have a few issues to work out, what's remarkable is not how far we have left to go, but how far we have already come.
I understand it is easy for folks in Washington to become consumed with the game of politics, to turn every issue into a running tally of who's up and who's down.
But health insurance reform is not a game for the American people, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer.
They are counting on us to get this done, and we must not let them down.
I have often said that even before this economic crisis hit, we had an economy that simply wasn't creating enough good paying jobs, an economy that wasn't ready to compete in the 21st century.
We have been slow to invest in clean energy technologies. We have watched our graduation rates lag behind too much of the world, and we spend much more on health care than any other nation but aren't healthier for it.
That is why I've said that even as we rescue this economy from a full-blown crisis, we must rebuild it stronger than before, and health insurance reform is central to that effort.
Reform is not just about the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance.
Reform is about every family who has ever worried that their insurance company will refuse to pay for the treatment or medicine that they need.
It is about the Americans who worry that they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change their job.
It is about small businesses that have been forced to lay off employees and cut back on their coverage because it is too expensive, and the biggest driving force behind our federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid.
The consequences of inaction are clear.
If we do not control health care costs, we will not be able to control our deficit.
If we do not reform health care, premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket.
If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day.
These are the stakes of the debate we're having right now.
With all the charges and criticisms being thrown around in Washington, many Americans may be wondering what health care reform actually means for them.
If you already have health insurance, the reform we're proposing will mean more security and more stability.
It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you're happy with it.
It will prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage if you get too sick.
It will give you the security of knowing that if you lose your job, move, or change your job, you will still be able to have coverage.
It will limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay for your medical costs out of your own pocket, and it will cover preventive care like check-ups and mammograms that save lives and money.
If you don't have health insurance, or if you are a small business owner looking to cover your employees, you will be able to choose a quality, affordable health plan through a health insurance exchange, a marketplace that promotes choice and competition.
Finally, no insurance company will be allowed to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition.
Many Americans are concerned about the cost of health insurance reform, and rightly so. That's why I have pledged that reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade.
A majority of the cost can be paid for by reallocating hundreds of billions of dollars that are being wasted in federal health care programs today. This includes over $100 billion in unwarranted subsidies for insurance companies as part of Medicare, subsidies that do nothing to improve care for our seniors.
Our proposals would also slow the growth of health care costs in the long run. They would change incentives so that doctors and nurses are free to give patients the best care, not just the most expensive care.
That's why our nation's largest organizations representing doctors and nurses have embraced our plan.
I have also proposed the creation of an independent group of doctors and medical experts empowered to eliminate waste and inefficiency in Medicare on an annual basis, a proposal that could save even more money and ensure the long-term financial health of Medicare.
Even though we still have a few issues to work out, what's remarkable is not how far we have left to go, but how far we have already come.
I understand it is easy for folks in Washington to become consumed with the game of politics, to turn every issue into a running tally of who's up and who's down.
But health insurance reform is not a game for the American people, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer.
They are counting on us to get this done, and we must not let them down.