The White House
Health Care Reform Today
September 30, 1993
- "I think it is critical to the country that
this be a bipartisan effort. I know of no better
way to insure it than to join as a sponsor of your
legislation upon introduction." With that Senator
Jim Jeffords of Vermont became the first Republican
sponsor of the Health Security Act of 1993. He
continued: "I don't think anyone would disagree
with the administration's goals. Everyone in this
nation needs the security of knowing that no matter
whatever else happens in your life, they can count
on the fact that they will have quality health
care."
- Today, the First Lady will testify before the
Senate Finance Committee. Here are points to
consider when asked about financing: Under the
Health Security plan, employers and individuals who
pay premiums today will continue to do so. That
means every employer, and every individual, will
have to take responsibility and pay something for
health care. And that's where more than half of the
financing for premiums is going to come from. The
second element in the financing plan is savings.
That will be done with specific, scorable,
line-by-line savings proposals. Let's be clear: we
wouldn't ask for these kinds of savings outside the
context of overall health care reform. By simply
paring back the growth of Federal health programs
and not address the private side of the equation --
the result would be more of the same: more "cost
shifting" and rising bills for people with private
insurance, more doctors refusing to treat Medicare
patients, and smaller benefits. We're going to ask
the Congress to place a tax on tobacco and insist
that those large corporations who continue to
self-insure do their part to pay for the health
care infrastructure and that benefits everyone.
- How to talk about benefits...the First Lady
said it best: "Our estimate is, that for Americans
who are currently insured, about 65% will have the
same or better benefits at less cost or the same
cost. For about 20-22% of those who are insured,
they will pay a bit more, but they will be getting
more comprehensive benefits because they are now
paying too much for catastrophic or major medical
policies. And for about 12% of the people, they
will pay more for about the same benefits. Those
are largely young, single people who benefit from
an insurance system that is really skewed in their
direction."
- We've been getting some calls here in the
delivery room with people saying there is a new
"book" or "plan" that is being reviewed. There is
not. The next document to be released by the
White House will be the legislation sent to Capitol
Hill.