American Health Care Leaders Say Obama Overstated Cost Control Promises
U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a statement on health care reform to the media on the South Drive near the Oval Office of the White House in Washington May 13, 2009. With Obama are (L-R) Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Vice President Joe Biden, Rep. George Miller (D-CA), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Charlie Rangel
(D-NY)
Hospitals and insurance companies said Thursday that President Obama had substantially overstated their promise earlier this week to reduce the growth of health spending.
Mr. Obama invited health industry leaders to the White House on Monday to trumpet their cost-control commitments. But three days later, confusion swirled in Washington as the companies’ trade associations raced to tamp down angst among members around the country.
After meeting with six major health care organizations, Mr. Obama hailed their cost-cutting promise as historic.
“These groups are voluntarily coming together to make an unprecedented commitment,†Mr. Obama said. “Over the next 10 years, from 2010 to 2019, they are pledging to cut the rate of growth of national health care spending by 1.5 percentage points each year — an amount that’s equal to over $2 trillion.â€
Health care leaders who attended the meeting have a different interpretation. They say they agreed to slow health spending in a more gradual way and did not pledge specific year-by-year cuts.
“There’s been a lot of misunderstanding that has caused a lot of consternation among our members,†said Richard J. Umbdenstock, the president of the American Hospital Association. “I’ve spent the better part of the last three days trying to deal with it.â€
Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, said “the president misspoke†on Monday and again on Wednesday when he described the industry’s commitment in similar terms. After providing that account, Ms. DeParle called back about an hour later on Thursday and said: “I don’t think the president misspoke. His remarks correctly and accurately described the industry’s commitment.â€
If anyone thinks the private health care industry is going to troll over for Obamacare, you have another thing coming. Obama’s proposal is for an eventual government take over of America’s health care industry. It is an end around and the bureaucratic corporations are now just realizing their demise in the grand scheme.
Look for limited cooperation from the health care beomouths of PHARMA and the AMA – just enough to not look like obstructionists.
And, cost controls? Who is going to enforce it?
The government?
What a joke. they cannot control ther own costs.
Technorati Tags: Obamacare
8 Comments
Pingback:
Marek
Heath care is one of the most important promises he made, and if there is more money needed, so be it.
Jake
It is expedient that you have a regular check up on your teeth in order for it to stay orally fit. Tips on how to take care of your teeth must be observed strictly. People in all walks of life will have a problem on this when take for granted the care of your teeth.
Eric( Interesting Facts )
I agree with Marek. Yes, if more money is needed so definitely be it.
Flap
And, Eric, where will the money come from?
The Obama debt is already massive.
Marek
Yes debt is massive, but I really think that saving some bank is not so important than whole system of health care. Maybe big shots are not really interested in health care, but common people are definitely interested in.
Flap
And, with American business continuing to crash under Obama where will the money come from to pay for universal health care?
China or will the government just print more $$?
Larry Miller
It’s not just money that we don’t have, it’s the inability of the government to run such an enterprise. After all the money is spent, we will have a non-functioning system where savings will be realized through denial of care. Health care is too important to be left in the hands of bureaucrats.