> > 1. I HAVE PROVIDED JUST THE HEALTH-REFORM-RELATED EXCERTPS > FROM THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH WHITE HOUSE > PRESS SECRETARY DEE DEE MYERS, BELOW. > > 2. REMEMBER: *DO NOT* WRITE A *REPLY* TO ANY MESSAGE FROM > LIST.HEALTHPLAN; IT WILL GO TO THE PROGRAM THAT HANDLES > THE LIST AND WON'T BE READ. INSTEAD, SEND A NEW PIECE OF > MAIL TO ME IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLIES. > MAKE SURE THE SUBJECT LINE OF YOUR MESSAGE HEADER IS THE > APPROPRIATE ONE FROM THE LIST SHOWN BELOW. (IF YOU DON'T > KNOW HOW TO SET THE SUBJECT LINE ASK YOUR LOCAL SYSTEM > ADMINISTRATOR.) > REMOVE LIST.HEALTHPLAN > -- to unsubscribe. **NOTE: "unsubscribe" won't work!** > EDIT LIST.HEALTHPLAN > -- to change your address. In the message body put: > REMOVE: > ADD: (Name in Parentheses) > SUBSCRIBE LIST.HEALTHPLAN > -- to subscribe (for someone who doesn't already) > SEND WELCOME LTR LIST.HEALTHPLAN > -- for complete LIST.HEALTHPLAN instructions > QUERY LIST.HEALTHPLAN > -- for any other questions regarding the list. > > 3. I AM LOOKING FOR SUPPORTERS OF CALIFORNIA'S SINGLE-PAYER > HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE, ESPECIALLY IN SANTA BARBARA AND > VENTURA COUNTIES, CA. IF THAT'S YOU, PLEASE EMAIL ME, > USING THE SUBJECT: SINGLE PAYER SUPPORTER. THANKS! > > -- STEVE FREEDKIN > > > THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _____________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release July 28, 1994 PRESS BRIEFING BY DEE DEE MYERS The Briefing Room 1:43 P.M. EDT MS. MYERS: Just before we get started here, as the President announced earlier today, obviously, the conference reported out a crime bill today. [...] Q How, after all, do you think it will affect the prospects of the health care bill that the President can sign -- MS. MYERS: Well, obviously the two aren't directly related, but I think certainly this is good news for the President today. [...] Q What did the President tell the leaders when they came in about health last Thursday night and they said they would have their own bills out the end of this week? Did he say that he would reserve any judgment and wouldn't endorse, wouldn't necessarily endorse the final products that Mitchell and Gephardt came up with? MS. MYERS: No, I think what the leaders did was give him sort of a status report of where they thought things stood. And they agreed at that meeting on what the sort of broad goals of any legislation would be. Certainly I think -- which include universal care, cost containment, ongoing sort of maintenance of quality and of choice. Q Mrs. Clinton was on the Hill this morning already meeting with those who are not satisfied with what they think Mitchell is coming out with and already plotting their strategy for how they will offer their own amendments next week. What will the President do, step back and just let the process work out? Or will he weigh in when he sees the versions that Mitchell and Gephardt produce? MS. MYERS: I assume that both the House and Senate versions of the bill will meet the President's bottom line, that is universal coverage. That was a commitment that the leaders did make. Senator Mitchell issued a statement; I think Congressman Gephardt and the Speaker talked about it outside. Certainly, we'll look at the details. The President has always said it has to be a plan that works. But based on his conversations with the leadership in both Houses, I think he's confident and hopeful that they will produce bills that he can support. Now, I think certainly the President will leave open that members of Congress will have to continue to work through this in their respective Houses but I think, generally, there will be bills in both Houses some time very shortly. I think the President will go out and work to help guarantee the passage of those. Q And if they come in with a phased in period that was longer than one he liked, if they come in with a 50-50 mix on employer mandates or a later trigger date for employer mandates, the President will consider supporting those? MS. MYERS: Sure. I mean, he's said he's flexible on exactly how and when you get there. But I think he'd certainly be willing to look at those things. I think the one test is does it get you to universal and does it work. And if he believes that it gets you there in a reasonable amount of time by a date certain and that it will work and that it will provide health insurance for all Americans, I think he'll support it. Q Is the President being informed exactly of how the bill is being written, what's in it? Or is he going to wait and see exactly what it is and then respond to it? MS. MYERS: I think, generally, he knows what the outlines are. I think that's fairly clear. Q But the details make all the difference. I mean, I know what you said, they agree on broad principles. But we all know when you sit down and look at the bill, that's what makes the difference. MS. MYERS: Well, sure, and I think, of course, we'll do that once the bills are finally drafted. But I think, generally, the President knows what's in those bills. The White House has a sense of what those bills look like. We don't know the detail s and they've yet to be worked out in either House. But generally we know what those bills are going to include, and certainly we'll look at them when they get here and we're hopeful that that will be soon. [...] Thank you. END 2:07 P.M. EDT