Posted on 06/15/2009 6:14:50 AM PDT by St. Louis Conservative
WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's health secretary on Sunday pushed for a new government-run healthcare program, an idea facing skepticism even in his own party, and a senior Senate Democrat flatly said votes are lacking in Congress for the proposal.
In addition, Vice President Joe Biden opposed proposals being discussed by some lawmakers to tax health insurance benefits provided to people by employers as a way to pay for an overhaul of the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare industry.
Obama, aiming to get healthcare costs under control and ensure that the 46 million Americans who are uninsured can get health coverage, wants a new public program to compete with private insurers.
"The president feels that having a 'public option' side by side -- same playing field, same rules -- will give Americans choice and will help lower costs for everybody. And that's a good thing," Sebelius told CNN.
"The president does not want to dismantle privately owned plans. He doesn't want the 180 million people who have employer coverage to lose that coverage. He wants to strengthen the marketplace," Sebelius added.
Healthcare costs undermine the competitiveness of U.S. companies, drive many families into bankruptcy and eat up a growing portion of state and federal spending.
Versions of healthcare legislation unveiled by senior Democrats in the House and Senate include a new government insurance program. But Republicans are adamantly opposed to the idea, saying it could harm private insurers, and some of Obama's fellow Democrats are against it, too.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The president does not want to dismantle privately owned plans. He doesn’t want the 180 million people who have employer coverage to lose that coverage,
He just wants to tax the benefits of 180 million people.
Political tin ear anyone?
I absolutely cannot believe he is on TV NOW LIVE promoting Obamacare saying THE TIME IS NOW we have to do his health care blah blah blah blah blah
The radical marxist teleprompter is on TV RIGHT NOW doing a LIVE commercial for Obamacare.
The goal of Obama's new system will be to limit our Doctors from providing us the excellent care we need.
For example just TRY and get a referral from your GP to a Dermatologist.
sw
It is all getting to frightening for me.
There is a God! Man, I did not want us falling under socialized medicine. Bad enough he socialized car making but I don’t have to buy his cars.
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