Health Care for America Now Applauds President Obama’s Strong, Unambiguous Support for Public Health
Washington, DC – Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign – released the following statement today after reading President Obama’s letter to Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) reaffirming his support for health care reform in 2009 that includes a public health insurance option:
Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now:
“We are thrilled to see President Obama’s strong, unambiguous commitment to reform that includes the choice of keeping private health insurance or joining a new public health insurance option. The choice of a new public health insurance plan is the only way to control costs, guarantee coverage, ensure quality and transparency, and set a benchmark by which patients will know whether their private health insurance is truly giving them what they’re paying for.
There is tremendous unity among President Obama, key committee leadership in both the House and the Senate, the broad coalition represented by Health Care for America Now, and the American people for reform based on the choice of private or public health insurance plans. It is now clearer than ever that this choice will be a fundamental part of the reform sent to the President’s desk this year.
Some Members of Congress have discussed the possibility of creating a public health insurance plan “trigger,” suggesting the public health insurance option can wait. It cannot. The choice of a public health insurance plan must be part of comprehensive reform from the very beginning.”
