Money and Politics

On health care reform, the American people are too often offered two extremes–government-run health care with higher taxes or letting the insurance companies operate without rules. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe both of these extremes are wrong, and that’s why they’ve proposed a plan that strengthens employer coverage, makes insurance companies accountable and ensures patient choice of doctor and care without government interference.

–Barack Obama, “Plan for a Healthy America: Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s Plan” from barackobama.com

If you already have insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don’t have health insurance, you’ll be able to get the same kind of health insurance Members of Congress get for themselves.

–Barack Obama, “Closing Argument” speech, Canton, Ohio, October 26, 2008

President-elect Obama, during the campaign you pledged to build a health care system in which Americans can be assured of access to affordable health insurance. You guaranteed Americans who already have insurance that nothing would change except that their coverage would be less expensive. You pointed to the health system that Members of Congress have as your model for expanding coverage. And you agreed that choice of doctor and care is a basic principle. These laudable themes struck a chord with Americans.

Ensuring Access to Affordable Health Insurance: A Memo to President-elect Obama