<---- no cable.
I'll read about whatever horrors he wants to unleash.
If you're interested, here are some notes I took (mostly for interview purposes):
9/9/09 Presidential address to Congress:
Current problems:
-people can't afford insurance
-can't get insurance b/c of pre-existing conditions
-rising costs, medicare & medicaid
What has been talked about:
Left
-public option (like Canada's)
Right
-end employer based insurance
Obama doesn't want to completely change anything, wants to "fix what doesn't work and keep what does".
Goals of this plan:
1. Security and stability to those who have insurance
2. Give insurance to those who don't.
3. Cut costs.
Details:
If you have insurance:
1. If you have insurance through your job, medicare, medicaid, VA, etc nothing will force you to change your coverage or physician.
2. It would be against the law to deny insurance for a pre-existing condition.
3. It would be against the law to drop your coverage when you get sick.
4. No cap on insurance coverage you can receive.
5. Limit on out of pocket expenses.
6. Routine checkups and expenses will be required to be covered.
If you don't have insurance:
7. Lose or change jobs, you can get coverage. Proposes a new "insurance exchange", where individuals can purchase insurance, similar to how businesses purchase insurance. Competition between insurance companies will exist.
8. If you still can't afford it, tax credits will be provided. There will be a 4 year timeline during which this will be implemented. In the meantime, there will be something similar to emergency catastrophy insurance for these individuals (as proposed by McCain).
Individuals will be required to carry health insurance. Businesses will be required to provide healthcare or chip in. 95% of small businesses will be exempt from this, as well as people who still cannot afford it.
Key controversies:
1. Death panels: said, "It is a lie, plain and simple."
2. Reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants: Lots of boos, but Obama says it's not true. Someone yelled, "Lie!" (Didn't address use of emergency rooms by illegal immigrants.)
3. Gov't takeover of entire system: Said, "Consumers do better if there is choice and competition." No interest in putting insurance companies out of business, just wants to hold them accountable.
Now says he is in favor of the gov't providing a public insurance option that will be self-sufficient and will not be funded by taxes. Specifically stated that this option will be funded only by its own revenue. Estimates that less than 5% of people would use it. Hopes it will drive costs down.
How to pay for it:
-Will not sign a plan that increases the deficit. Force spending cuts if promised savings don't materialize.
-Most of the plan can be paid for by finding savings w/ in the system.
-No medicare trust fund money will pay for this plan.
-Insurance companies will be charged a fee for their most expensive policies.
-Malpractice reform: a range of ideas
-900 billion dollars total (I think, missed exactly what he said)
-Letter from Ted Kennedy that was to be released upon his death, written in May.
-Other rhetoric.
(Total time ~45 minutes.)
Republican Response, Rep Charles Boustany, MD (LA):
Most people want to start over. Replacing healthcare w/ government run healthcare will make things more expensive.
President did not take gov't run healthcare off the table.
4 important areas that we can agree on:
1. Everyone should have coverage.
2. Individuals should be able to come together and buy insurance at low cost like businesses do.
3. We can provide for those who still cannot afford it
4. Employers can/should provide incentives for good health.
President hasn't agreed w/:
1. Tough liability reform, deter junk lawsuits. (He mentioned it, but we hope he's serious.)
2. Let families buy insurance across state lines.
healthcare.gop.gov
(Total time <10 minutes.)
Jimmer, december should be fine. I think you might have an acceptance before then, though.
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
UVA interview today. It was great fun. 👍
That school looks awesome. How did the students seem?
It would be the perfect time to multi-quote all of our responses.
