Weekly Address: Health Reform Will Benefit American Families and Businesses This Year

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama said that Congress owes the country an up-or-down vote on health reform and he described how more American families will have more control over their health care this year after health reform passes.  The proposal the President has put forward includes tax credits for small businesses to purchase coverage, making it possible for people with pre-existing conditions to purchase coverage, and stopping insurance companies from imposing lifetime caps or annual limits to the amount of care people receive, among other reforms.

The audio and video will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 am ET, Saturday, March 6, 2010.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
March 6, 2010

This week, I asked Congress to schedule a final vote on reform that will give families and businesses more control over their health care by holding insurance companies more accountable.  This comes after nearly a year of debate, as well as a seven hour summit with Democrats and Republicans where we had a public and substantive discussion on health care.  Since then, I’ve said that I’m willing to incorporate some ideas offered by Republicans, and we’re eliminating special provisions that had no place in health care reform.

Now, despite all the progress and improvements we’ve made, Republicans in Congress insist that the only acceptable course on health care is to start over.  But you know what?  The insurance companies aren’t starting over.  I just met with some of them on Thursday and they couldn’t give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums – by as much as 60% in states like Illinois.  If we do not act, they will continue to do this.  They will continue to drop people’s coverage when they need it.  They will continue to refuse coverage based on pre-existing conditions.  These practices will continue. 

That’s why we must act now.  That’s why the United States Congress owes the American people an up-or-down vote on health insurance reform. 

The proposal we’ve put forward would end the worst practices of the insurance industry, lower costs for millions of Americans, and give uninsured individuals and small businesses the same kind of choice of private health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves.  And while it will take a few years to fully implement these reforms, there are numerous protections and benefits that would start to take effect this year. 

This year, small business owners will receive tax credits to purchase health insurance.

This year, thousands of uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions will finally be able to purchase coverage.  Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.  And they will no longer be allowed to drop your coverage when you get sick. 
      
This year, all new insurance plans will be required to offer free preventive care to their customers – so that we can start catching preventable illnesses and diseases on the front end