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| From © The Bay City Times |
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Obama welcomes AARP backing of health care bill |
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November 6, 2009Barrie Barber |
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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama trumpeted two major endorsements for his health overhaul push Thursday as House Democratic leaders pushed toward a vote Saturday on the far-reaching legislation remaking the U.S. health care system.
"I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to vote in the House of Representatives," Obama said in an unannounced visit to the White House briefing room.
AARP is "no small endorsement," Obama said of the 40 million-strong seniors' lobby.
"We are closer to passing this reform than ever before," Obama said. "Now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer."
Obama spoke as House Democratic leaders sought to resolve final disputes before bringing their 10-year, $1.2 trillion health bill to the floor on Saturday.
U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, a Midland Republican, and ranking party member of the House Ways and Means Committee, didn't expect the GOP and Democrats could reach a compromise between the parties' two competing health care plans.
Camp contended the bill would mean $730 billion in higher taxes and a $500 billion cut to Medicare that would hurt millions of senior citizens, and create up to 5.5 million lost jobs.
Democrats, Camp said, "have decided that they want this gargantuan, government takeover-type health care bill when actually there are steps we could do" to bring down costs.
Among other a list of measures, Republicans advocate lawsuit reform, letting small businesses pool health care plans to lower prices, and giving consumers the right to purchase coverage in other states.
U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee, a Flint Democrat, said the House bill won't add "one dime" to the nation's deficit.
Democrats said the House bill would pay for itself through eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in health care, pare costs through prevention and wellness initiatives and impose a tax increase on married couples earning $1 million a year or more.
Kildee said the nation ranks last among 25 high-income industrialized nations for life expectancy.
"We spend one and a half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren't any healthier for it," he said in a statement.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said leaders expect to have the 218 votes in the House needed to pass the sweeping bill, which would extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured people and ban insurance companies from turning people away.
Hoyer acknowledged the vote could be tight, though, and timing of action in the Senate remains uncertain.
"I wouldn't refer to it as a squeaker, but I think it's going to be close," Hoyer said in an interview with wire service reporters. "This is a huge undertaking."
The Maryland Democrat said language on abortion and illegal immigrants still was being worked out, but predicted those issues could be solved by Saturday.
"We certainly have well over 218 people who say they want to vote for the bill," Hoyer said.
"The trick is making sure they have a comfort level with the provisions they are particularly focused on to allow them to do so," he said.
Obama planned a rare trip to the House on Friday to try to win over wavering lawmakers. |
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