Obama Says Congress Must Act to Fix 'Broken' Health-Care System

By Michael A. Fletcher
Stepping up his push to enact legislation to reform the nation's health-care system, President Obama today declared, "The status quo is broken," and he warned that the current system could eventually collapse if nothing is done to control spiraling costs.

With Congress poised to debate sweeping health-care legislation in the coming weeks, Obama warned that if "we do nothing, everyone's health care will be put in jeopardy."

Speaking in his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama said that the fast-rising cost of health care is placing an unsustainable burden on personal budgets, small businesses and the federal government.

"Within a decade we'll spend one dollar out of every five we earn on health care -- and we'll keep getting less for our money," he said. "That's why fixing what's wrong with our health care system is no longer a luxury we hope to achieve; it's a necessity we cannot postpone any longer."

Obama said that health-care reform can address rising costs by reining in profiteering by health insurers and providers, stoking competition in the industry, and creating a mechanism for building on the models of efficient care that exist around the country.

The president also reiterated his pledge to enact costly reforms while not adding to the nation's already soaring budget deficit. Just how that would happen remains to be seen.

"We'll work with Congress to fully cover the costs through rigorous spending reductions and appropriate additional revenues," Obama said. "We'll eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in our health care system."

As Congress prepares to take up the health-care debate later this month, critics of the reform package have been ramping up their opposition. Lawmakers' first draft of the measure, which emerged last night, requires all Americans to have health insurance, while subsidizing the cost for lower-income people.

Employers would have to offer coverage, or pay into a fund that provides coverage. Obama has said he would like to see exemptions to the mandates for small businesses and low-income people.

Meanwhile, many Democrats -- including Obama -- favor creation of a publicly run health insurance plan to compete with private insurers -- something vehemently opposed by many Republicans and their conservative supporters.

Obama has been careful not to close off options for implementing a plan that would control costs and provide health coverage to most of the 46 million Americans who do not have it now.
In a meeting with lawmakers earlier this week, Obama refused to rule out taxing employer-sponsored health insurance -- an idea he had ridiculed during the presidential campaign. He also indicated that he would consider a requirement that every American have health coverage. During the campaign, he had also dismissed that idea.

"All across America, our families are making hard choices when it comes to health care," Obama said today. "Now it's time for Washington to make the right ones. It's time to deliver."

Comments

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Posted by: DEMOCRATZoORG | June 6, 2009 7:34 AM | Report abuse

Many people are getting fed up with how quickly some of the politicians declare things "off the table." This is not the change we voted for. www.massachusettsobserver.blogspot.com/2009/06/should-voters-take-pelosi-and-baucus.html

Posted by: Administrator1 | June 6, 2009 10:40 AM | Report abuse

you have no money obama you spent all of our taxpayers money on the obama-dodd-reid-peloski-frank-ACORN-housing scandel. the schummmmmmmmer banking scandel, the obama -geithner auto industry scandel. obama go to Helen Waite she will tell you obama, you have raped the taxpayers of all their money. forget Heathcare and figure out how to eliminate 30% of federal jobs and leave the Defense Department alone. Bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States of America the greatest Nation on Earth, drill for oil and build nuclear plants. Havin janet Reno Ice creme buy rubber bands and paper clips in bulk just isn't going to cut it to save much money.

Posted by: bobojake | June 6, 2009 8:57 PM | Report abuse

I remember well how kennedy wrote the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LEGISLATION. After 45 years of raping taxpayers kennedy wants to rape the taxpayers one more time and steal money from people that work and pay the bills of government doles and illegals. Its time America to stand up to the thugs in Washington DC and tell them to get the L out of our money. ried say obama has a gift. The only gift obama has is the gift of DECEPTION. obama go overseas and claims the muslems invented everything. I think the arches was invented by the Babolonians(sp) and I could go on. I think obama hates the United States of America. I have a couple of opines on this. One is that the United States stopped the murderous ways and slavery ways of the muslems in WORLD WAR I. muslems in the Mideast were not and are not nice to their women and obama has the gall and lies to try and degrade the United states. obama hates the United States of America because of Frankie the communist teaching in Hawaii, Ayers the TERRORIST in Illinois and rev wright 20 years of indoctrination in the Illinois Church. obama schummmmmmmer kennnedy, kerrrrrrry, reid, peloski dodd, frank, and andy Senator and Ciongressman that has been in Washington DC working as a government dole should RESIGN in DISGRACE for letting the AORN-obama-dodd-frank-reid-peloski-water housing scndal occur, the schummmmmmmmmer banking scandal, and the obama-geithner auto industry scandal. Its time folks to stand up and stop the inconsiderate incompetent MARXIST LIAR obama frome anymore destruction of the United States. The Post Office has been so well run by Washington DC. obama claims not to be part of WASHINGTON DC, he isn't folks he is 100 times worst. obama has raped the hard working taxpayers of the United States enough. WE HAVE NO MORE MONEY. OBAMA THERE IS NO TAXPAYERS THAT HAVE THE MONEY YOU WANT TO STEAL AND PAY FOR GOVERNMENT DOLES AND ILLEGALS HEATHCARE. Stop the RAPE of America NOW. Call your Senators and Congressman and tell them we have had of the deception we can stand. We will throw out obamas thugs in 2010 and the head thug in 2012 if he hasn't been impeached.

Posted by: bobojake | June 7, 2009 10:10 AM | Report abuse

after listening to newt gingrich. i see the great lie all over again. these same words that george bush said to us. so as you go to bed tonight. think about what has been said. no child left behind, religious base. will solve many of our problems. the old bull. differant speaker. they had it for 8 years and what did they give you?? another member of this crowd mr bonhner is saying the president is wroug on all counts. you decide. just listen to what is being say.there is a lot of time.

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Posted by: davidmichaelhill | June 8, 2009 10:45 PM | Report abuse

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