President Obama Address 08/08/09

[0:47] ..." growth and prosperity. And a key pillar of a new foundation. Is health insurance reform. Reform that we are now closer to achieving than ever before. There are still details to be hammered out there are still differences to be reconciled. What we are moving toward a broad consensus on reform. Four committees in congress have produced legislation. An unprecedented level of agreement on a difficult and complex challenge. In addition to the ongoing work in congress providers have agreed to bring down costs. Drug companies have agreed to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors. The AARP supports reform because of the better care and offered to seniors. And that American Nurses Association and the American Medical Association. Which represented the millions of nurses and doctors who know our health care system best. All support reform as well as we draw close to finalizing and passing real health insurance reform. The defenders of the status quo and political point scores in Washington. Her growing fiercer in their opposition. In recent days"...

[2:24] ..." simply not true. This isn't about putting government in charge of your health insurance it's about putting you in charge of your health insurance. Under the reform we see if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan you can keep your health care plan. And -- reform is obviously essential for the 46 million Americans who don't have health insurance. It will also provide more stability and security to hundreds of millions who do. Right now we have a system works well for the insurance industry but the doesn't always work well for you. What we need and what we will have what we pass health insurance reform. Our consumer protections to make sure that those who have insurance are treated fairly and that insurance companies are held accountable."...

[3:54] ..." to drop water down coverage for someone was become seriously deal. Your health insurance ought to be there for you when it counts and reform won't -- it is. With a reform insurance companies will also have to limit how much you can be charged for out of pocket expenses. And we'll stop insurance companies from placing arbitrary caps on the amount of coverage you can receive at a given year or lifetime. Because no one in America should go broke because and homes in the end the debate about health insurance reform boils down to a choice between two approaches. First is almost guaranteed to double healthcare costs over the next decade. Leave"...

[5:23] ..." businesses. This is about America's future. That's what's at stake. That's why health insurance reform missile port. That's why we have to get this done and why won't get this done by the end of this"...

[0:00]" On Friday we receive better -- than we expected about the state of our economy. We've learned that we lost 247000. Jobs in July some 200000. Fewer jobs we lost in June. And far fewer than the nearly 700000. A month we were losing at the beginning of the year. Of course this is -- comfort to anyone who saw their jobs disappeared July into the millions of Americans were looking for work. I will not rest until anyone who's looking for work can find a job. Still this month's job numbers are slime that we've begun to put the brakes on this recession and that the worst may be behind us. We must do more than rescue our economy from this immediate crisis. We must rebuild it stronger than before. We must lay a new foundation for future growth and prosperity. And a key pillar of a new foundation. Is health insurance reform. Reform that we are now closer to achieving than ever before. There are still details to be hammered out there are still differences to be reconciled. What we are moving toward a broad consensus on reform. Four committees in congress have produced legislation. An unprecedented level of agreement on a difficult and complex challenge. In addition to the ongoing work in congress providers have agreed to bring down costs. Drug companies have agreed to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors. The AARP supports reform because of the better care and offered to seniors. And that American Nurses Association and the American Medical Association. Which represented the millions of nurses and doctors who know our health care system best. All support reform as well as we draw close to finalizing and passing real health insurance reform. The defenders of the status quo and political point scores in Washington. Her growing fiercer in their opposition. In recent days and weeks some have been using misleading information to defeat what they know is the best chance of perform we've ever had. And that's why it's important especially now the senators representatives at home and meet with -- constituents. For you the American people to have all the facts. So let me explain what reform will mean for you. And let me start by dispelling. -- outlandish rumors that the formal promote euthanasia. Or cut Medicaid or bring about a government take over health care. That's simply not true. This isn't about putting government in charge of your health insurance it's about putting you in charge of your health insurance. Under the reform we see if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan you can keep your health care plan. And -- reform is obviously essential for the 46 million Americans who don't have health insurance. It will also provide more stability and security to hundreds of millions who do. Right now we have a system works well for the insurance industry but the doesn't always work well for you. What we need and what we will have what we pass health insurance reform. Our consumer protections to make sure that those who have insurance are treated fairly and that insurance companies are held accountable. Will require insurance companies to cover routine checkups and preventive care like mammograms colonoscopy is. Orion put exams for diabetics so we can avoid chronic illnesses the cost too many lives and too much more. We'll stop insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person's medical history. I'll never forget watching my own mother as she fought cancer in her final days worrying about whether her insurer would claim her illness was pre existing condition. That's so many Americans worry about the same thing. And that's why under these reforms insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage because of a previous illness or injury. And insurance companies will no longer be allowed to drop water down coverage for someone was become seriously deal. Your health insurance ought to be there for you when it counts and reform won't -- it is. With a reform insurance companies will also have to limit how much you can be charged for out of pocket expenses. And we'll stop insurance companies from placing arbitrary caps on the amount of coverage you can receive at a given year or lifetime. Because no one in America should go broke because and homes in the end the debate about health insurance reform boils down to a choice between two approaches. First is almost guaranteed to double healthcare costs over the next decade. Leave millions more Americans without insurance. -- those with insurance vulnerable to arbitrary denials of coverage and bankrupt state and federal governments. That's the status -- That's the health care system we have right now. So we can either continue this approach or we can choose about the won the -- protect people against unfair trade practices. Provide quality affordable insurance to every American. And bring down rising cost that are swapping families businesses and our budgets. At the health care system we can bring about with reform. Those were focused on the so called politics of health care we're trying to exploit differences. Work concerns for political gain. That's to be expect that's Washington. But let's never forget that this isn't about politics. Is about people's -- this is about people's businesses. This is about America's future. That's what's at stake. That's why health insurance reform missile port. That's why we have to get this done and why won't get this done by the end of this year. Thanks so much."