Obama rolls healthcare reform dice ahead of GOP summit
Barack Obama publishes new version of healthcare reform plan ahead of crucial meeting on issue with senior Republicans
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Monday, 22, Feb 2010 05:43
By Matthew Champion.
Barack Obama has published a new version of his healthcare reform plan ahead of a crucial meeting with senior Republicans on the issue later this week.
The new blueprint is aimed at unifying the bills passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, the overall passage of which is threatened by the Democrats losing their supermajority in the Senate earlier this year.
President Obama has made healthcare reform the centrepiece of his administration so far, with the plans representing the largest expansion of federal healthcare for two generations.
The plans as they stand now will prevent insurers from imposing excessive increases on premiums and grant federal subsidies to help people afford premiums to begin with, as well as stopping insurance companies from denying coverage to people with existing medical conditions.
Republicans have remained vehemently opposed to President Obama's healthcare reform bill from day one, but the White House insists the plans are essential to cutting the country's deficit.
The president is due to meet with key GOP congressional figures on Thursday for a series of televised talks on the issue.
"We view this as the opening bid for the health meeting," Dan Pfeiffer, White House communications director, told reporters today.
"We took our best shot at bridging the differences."
At the weekend President Obama had said in his weekly address: "I don't want to see this meeting turn into political theatre, with each side simply reciting talking points and trying to score political points.
"Instead, I ask members of both parties to seek common ground in an effort to solve a problem that's been with us for generations."
President Obama's original bill looked to be heading for a smooth passage before the Democrats sensationally lost the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts and with it their supermajority in the senate.
The Democrats still control both houses but are unable to prevent the Republicans from filibustering.