Here is the transcript of President Obama's Healthcare address to the Congress

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/09/politics/main5299229.shtml

Maybe this will help to be fact based when we discuss it.
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I personally had a specific list of things I personally was looking for:

**An IMMEDIATE end to rescission and prior condition exclusions - check, (I think)

**A public option - check. Not the one I wanted, Medicare, and with conditions attached that I still have to examine, BUT a public option IS included as one choice in the exchange

**A reference to negotiation on drug prices - no check that I am aware of

**Healthcare described as a moral imperative - doublecheck! He did a great job on that in my opinion

**An end to lifetime caps - check

******AN immediate catastrophic policy available immediately to anyone in need before the Public Option kicks in - this was a complete and pleasant surprise and not something I was looking for or expecting. This should be a great relief to anyone who is facing an imminent crisis.

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I am actually pretty pleased overall, probably shocking to those of you who see me as an implacable critic. I think this is better than no bill as some would proscribe. It immediately kills off the worst excesses of the insurance companies and it gives immediate relief to those in need.

Still left to debate - what constitutes "affordable" and why will it take so long to set up the exchange and the public option? Also , the whole mandate issue I understand is problematic for many.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. kick!