The Speech I heard - Democratic Underground

placton

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Thu Sep-10-09 07:30 AM
Original message

The Speech I heard

Gee, Mr. Obama parked it! :sarcasm: Sorry cheerleaders - I suggest we got sold out last nite. THE SPEECH with a few comments shows why.

OUR GOODY BAG
"Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime. We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick. And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies - because there's no reason we shouldn't be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives."

NOD (BUT LITTLE MORE) TO THE PUBLIC OPTION (The public option would only apply to five percent of the population (.05 x 300 million = 15 million covered) - and not all the uninsured):

"The public option is only a means to that end - and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal...some have suggested that that the public option go into effect only in those markets where insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. Others propose a co-op or another non-profit entity to administer the plan. These are all constructive ideas worth exploring.

"It is only one part of my plan, and should not be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles. To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end - and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal."

INSURANCE COMPANIES RULE! AND TAX CREDITS TOO BUT LET'S WAIT SOME MORE

"That's why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance - just as most states require you to carry auto insurance

"We will do this by creating a new insurance exchange - a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices. Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers

"For those individuals and small businesses who still cannot afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, we will provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need. And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned. This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right. In the meantime, for those Americans who can't get insurance today because they have pre-existing medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill.

"making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. Let me be clear - it would only be an option for those who don't have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5% of Americans would sign up.

ABORTION - AND CHOICE - ARE BAD BAD THINGS - EXCEPT FOR THE RIGHT

"no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place"

ANOTHER LIMITATION: GOVERNMENT WONT REALLY GET INVOLVED - THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE SOOOOO CORRECT!

"the insurance companies and their allies don't like this idea. They argue that these private companies can't fairly compete with the government. And they'd be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But they won't be. I have insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects"

LET'S NOT HAVE PATIENTS BUTCHERED AND KILLED BY DOCS AND HOSPITALS BE ABLE TO SUE - AND LETS TOSS LAWYERS OVER THE SIDE - LIKE WE WE HAVE DONE WITH THE LBGT FOLKS, LABOR, AND OTHERS

"many in this chamber - particularly on the Republican side of the aisle - have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I have talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs. So I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. I know that the Bush Administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these issues. It's a good idea, and I am directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today"