Obama: Health Care Reform This Year -- Or Never

President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that if health care reform didn't take place this year, it won't be completed during his presidency.

"We need health care reform legislation that works, that preserves what works about health care, that fixes the things that are broken. And I think the status quo is unacceptable " said the president, on a conference call with volunteers for his leftover campaign arm, Organizing for America. "And we have to get it done this year. If we don't get it done this year we are not going to get it done."

Underscoring the high stakes of the debate, Obama called on his supporters to make the same organizational effort on behalf of health care that they did during the election. There were, he said, few more important issues facing his administration.

"Now we are moving to one of our biggest priorities," he said, "something that all of us on the phone have been talking about since the earliest moments of this campaign... We know what is at stake; we know we need reforms... Americans now spend more on health care than on housing or food."

The conference call, in which Obama participated while onboard Air Force One, is one of several moves on the part of Organizing for America to help set the table for the upcoming battle over health care reform. Organizing for America is also distributing a video message from the president and hosting a kick-off event for its health care reform campaign on June 6.

"This is our big chance to prove that the movement that started during the campaign isn't over, we are just getting started," said Obama. "The election in November -- that didn't bring about change, that just gave us the opportunity for change. So now we are really going to have to re-mobilize. We had a chance to catch our breath after the election. We got a lot of things done in the first four months. But health care, that's a big push."

Earlier in the call, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe also addressed the president's volunteers. Stressing the need for door-to-door engagement to help beat back the health care reform cynics and skeptics, saying that "failure it not an option here."

"This is our chance so that 20, 25 years from now, people will look back and say that that moment in time, the president and his supporters met the moment," said Plouffe. "They did the right thing. They did the tough thing and we won't have any more people in this country without health care coverage, cost will be under control, which means our economy will strengthen."

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Terri Carter 1]

Congressional Report Card – Health Care Reform – “Shows Respect and Concern for Others?”
The American people are paying attention. We just need to be paying attention in much greater numbers to which legislators manipulate the progress of the health reform plan in favor of the insurance companies.

We WILL be taking names this time and yes, THE OFFENDERS WILL BE PUNISHED AT THE POLLS. We are talking about life and death situations here for the citizens of this country - not just whether our gas costs a little more!!!

As for the 'JUST SAY NO TO EVERYTHING" members of congress - Take note: We've grown very weary of your dangerous childishness. Your motives are blatantly obvious! There is no room for schoolyard bullies in positions of power in such desparate times. Take your "time out" then come back and play "nice" with the rest of us! This is not a game – it’s a matter of life of death for millions of us, especially those with pre-existing conditions, that will be literally left in the dust for “dead” if not given a choice between private profiteers and a competitive national alternative.
Try a recent quote of THIRTY to FIFTY THOUSAND dollars for an OVERNIGHT stay in a NON-PROFIT hospital! NOT surgery – NOT anesthesia. I can’t even wrap my mind around that one! Should we have to die for greed?
A vote against the offer of a public option is a Yes answer to that question.
Terri Carter

[RightWingMarine]

I offer another solution that I'm sure will be derided by the left. For those that want Canadian style healthcare, when they become ill we will transport them to a border town and give them a fake canadian ID. This way people who want it will be treated by the much vaunted canadian health service and those of us that do not would have minimal intrusion into our lives in taxes to pay for this transportation. Obviously the system isn't perfect, ideally everyone would pay their own way but for some reason that is anathema to the left. We would still have hospitals for emergency treatment and doctors offices for mild problems. But for those with a protracted illness but do not or can not pay for their treatment we have them become canada's problem.
Just for giggles we should make sure the canadian govt knows that we are doing this.

[wdw505]

well stated

[RightWingMarine]

given that our Founding Fathers envisioned a limited govt, so limited they wrote a document that clearly lays out what few powers the fed govt has and we have every public official swear to uphold and defend this same document; what part of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to provide for healthcare?

I know the same tired general welfare clause will be trotted out again by the esteemed Constitutional scholars that read this page but what they never mention is if the general welfare clause can extend to health care what else can it extend to? Should we build Soviet style block apts to house people? On the days we are sick, since we have a right to healthcare should we demand the govt compensate us for the time off? What about days where we were "sick" does the govt have to pay us for our illicit vacation day?

[zanzig]

Didn't Clinton say exactly the same thing in his first year?

[RightWingMarine]

I believe I've worked out a compromise that will satisfy me and no one else, but hopefully will create a heated debate.
We will have universal healthcare but only for those that want it. There would be an enrollment window once every three years with allowances for newborns and those graduating high school or college. Only those that chose to enroll and pay into the universal healthcare would be permitted to use it. Those that chose not to join UHC would have no claim to medical treatment through UHC whatsoever. If they lacked insurance they would have to go to a charity hospital or do without.
This would allow people such as myself who wish to avoid UHC the ability to do so and would make the insurance companies that serve us more competitive and lower our costs.

[jmpurser]

That would amount to a massive subsidy to the health care insurance industry with no perceptible improvements.

[jwredd]

It sounds like you're assuming that healthcare reform means implementing a single payer system when in fact it's not even on the table. With the public plan being proposed to compete with private insurers you would get your wish to stick with your current plan. Your "enrollment window" hardly seems to serve any purpose though and wouldn't be necessary. Everyone gets to choose and you don't have to be upset that you're subsidizing someone else's healthcare. Where's the problem?

"If they lacked insurance they would have to go to a charity hospital or do without." In this society doctors don't simply refuse treating people because they are uninsured and to suggest that we would have a system where we say, "Sorry pal, no medical care for your injury. You didn't sign up for the plan in time" is quite absurd and totally antisocial. That's what I meant when I said yesterday that you aren't in this debate in any credible kind of way. You're a status quo minority that thinks the system is fine the way it is because it seems to satisfy your conservative principals even though it clearly doesn't work for a large portion of the country. By advocating against the offering of a public plan (where nobody is asking you to give up what you already have) you are trying to not give others the right to make their own decisions and choose between two plans. Not a very conservative stance if you ask me.

[pup sydney]

I would like to know how and why this comment passed trough HuffPost over and over again while others that seems well though out and meaningful do not.
I would take the Canadian system any tiime over ours., Any time, --just ask any Canadian if he/she would change their system for ours. The answer will be overwhelmingly no. That is all that counts for me. the rants of the misinformed (and pro for profit HMOs andf or the outrageous1.1 billion dollars severance to the United health care former CEO Mr mcGuire) right wingers are just more motivation to push for change.

[ncmom54]

is he saying?
"I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it." FDR

I want to believe he is...

Congress? nah, after the way they sold out the citizens to the banking industry...
they're 'following the funding'.

I'm beginning to believe the GOP (and 'funded' democrats) wish the sick & unemployed would just die off.

[Tim303]

"Liberals tell us to eat arugula!"

"It's your own fault if you die of heart disease and couldn't afford health care!"

Slight contradiction?

[condew]

I hope Obama and the Democratic congress are planning to fight for health care reform like the future of the Democratic party depends on it, because it does.

After bailing out Wall street and then letting the auto companies go bankrupt, after mediocre credit card reform witout usuary limits, and after not bailing out homeowners who were acting responsibly, serious health care reform with a viable Medicare-for-all option is the only thing that might wash this taste of betrayal out of my mouth.

If Democrats don't achieve something big in health care reform, I fear the elections in 2010 and 2012 will see fundraising and volunteerism that is as disappointing then as they were record breaking in 2008.

The Democratic majority is on the line, and any Congressman who is faint-hearted about doing the peoples business in the face of major opposition from the insurance companies should contemplate the hell of being in the minority again.

[longtalldrink]

totally agree.

[ncmom54]

second that!

[jmpurser]

Agreed. But the more I see President Obama do the less confidence I have in his being willing or able to fight for anything we need. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.

[regellner]

Healthcare reform is vitally important to the future of this nation.
The insurance companies fear any accoutability or competition this may bring.

Following is the link to an article on the importance of healthcare reform. Enjoy!

http://www.examiner.com/x-11326-Charlotte-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m5d29-Healthcare-reform-is-critical-part-of-national-survival


Raymond Gellner – Charlotte Liberal Examiner at Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-11326-Charlotte-Liberal-Examiner

[DuPageDem]

Obama has taken single payer healthcare off the table, meaning any solution will just continue to line the pockets of corporate robber barrons. Yet he expects progressives to line up in lockstep behind his for-profit "reforms." Kind of like he expects anti-war supporters to not notice we're not leaving Iraq, ratcheting up in Afganistan and handing out get-out-of­-jail-free cards to war criminals.

Sounds like a plan. Wonder when he's going to notice that politcal support is a two-way street.

[condew]

I think Obama has very sound political judgement, and I agree with him that the country isn't ready for single payer. If you do anything that threatens the 2/3 that have health insurance, including taxing it, then I think health care reform is a non-starter.

My hope is for a Medicare-for-all option, and then let a good, cost efficient public plan beat the insurance companies in a fair fight.

My biggest fear is that getting Democrats to agree on one plan is like hearding cats, and tha absolute demands from the far left will give Republicans an opening to destroy reform while we bicker among ourselves. Shesh, I got a fundraising email today from Chris Bowers of Open Left that makes the Medicare-for-all option sound like it is just a Medicaid program for people who can't afford real insurance!

We need to let a plan form before we condemn it.

[BustMyChops]

The only reason the country isn't ready for single payer is because the for profit medical industrial complex doesn't want it.

[rxvette]

Here's a specific story on exactly why we need healthcare reform in the US...

http://rxvette.blogspot.com

[restoretheroar]

is this "now or never" talk a fear tactic? he's scaring me a little bit. is this like the "now or never" talk we needed on the spending bill? the bill that isn't getting money to the people that need it most. the bill that contained way too many "porky" projects.

wouldn't rushing through health care with a "now or never" attitude bring mistakes on a large scale?

[condew]

I think he is offering sound political judgement. After all the other mediocre, iffy, and downright Republican things congress and the administration have done, they need a major progressive win on health care if they want to hold the seats they have and pick up more. The activist part of the base that volunteers and contributes is not happy, health care reform is the price to preserve Democratic control of the government.

[sweetwhine]

Scaring you? Good we all need to be scared into action! If Obama says now or never, he's not making it up! It's NOW or NEVER! So c'mon lets help our president like we said we would!

"WE ARE THE ONES WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR" Remember that people?

[Tim303]

You should be scared. The USA has a pitiful, pitiful health care situation. Signed, a man who grew up in "old Europe."

[Samalabear]

While I want this done right and, I've got to tell you, this "not or never" talk freaks me out, too. Something rushed through in a few months means that the people will not be listened to, period. Makes me think that he just wants to get it done, wash his hands of the whole mess and say, well, I did my best -- next.

[BustMyChops]

Yup. Gotta love corporate Democrats. Bernie Sanders anyone?

[NCYvonne]

RightWingMarine thinks child labor laws keeps kids from helping mom stuff envelopes!! LOL!! Apparently thinks those "Earn $1000 wk/ stuffing envelopes At Home" ads are legit, too!

Probably also thinks lemonade stands and raking leaves are regulated by OSHA.

No wonder you're a winger. You think healthcare will rationed just like knowledge has been in your home!

[jwredd]

It would be nice for rightwingmarine to share with us how he and his family get their coverage and how much it costs him every month since the status quo is working so well for his little corner of the country.

[LeighAnnes]

I hope he doesn't have a family. I certainly wouldn't want anyone with his attitudes raising a child. I certainly don't want my 11 year old son, any of his friends or any child for that matter to be forced to work.

[RightWingMarine]

you must have some need for attention so you have to repost up here.

while some envelope stuffing ads are scams, not all of them are. Even the Dear Leader used envelope stuffers during His campaign.

OSHA regulations apply to all businesses that have 10 or more employees thus creating a burden on small employers including lawn care companies and beverage sales.

The Dept of Labor used your tax dollars to cause a 14 yr old batboy to be fired.
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/28/us/batboy-is-called-out-by-labor-officials-who-vow-a-review.html
Yeah, these are the same people I want in charge of my healthcare options.

[jwredd]

Good, you're back. I'd like to re-ask you an earlier question:

So if you end up being able to pay less than you do now for health insurance, you would still be upset that a lower income family would being paying less taxes than you and getting decent health care? Just to rephrase- you pay less, and everyone gets covered..... that's just too much of an affront to your principles?

[NCYvonne]

Since you're a marine, they're already in charge of your healthcare options!

[jwredd]

As I said, the claim that your charitable givings and that of all your more-chari­table-than­-liberals conservative friends combined has any substantial impact on the problem of unaffordable health care lacks any sense of credibility.

The notion that "There are people that make a decision to forego health insurance because they would rather have the money in their pocket" is not only naive but very presumptive. (You may in fact be right in terms of some portion of the population, but to characterize the uninsured as a whole that way??)The small business community thinks the system has failed. The big business community thinks the system has failed. Everyone but a small percentage of you welfare queens-be-damned principled conservatives think the system is broken. You won't even debate how to get where we need to be on this because sticking with the status quo let's you feel like you are sticking to your principals. As much as you try to make it so, this debate isn't about whether or not slackers deserve to have the rest of us pay for their healthcare. It's about how to lessen the burden on working class Americans so that we can concentrate on being productive and innovative as a country.

[NCYvonne]

Nutters have no problem subsidizing huge corporations like Exxon Mobile with billion dollar tax cuts as they make us bend over for oil. They have no problem subsidizing a tax cut for billionaires on inheritance because he believes he might be one someday.

Mind you, they get NOTHING out of these government subsidies.

But they go bonkers if they are asked to share in the burden for some working stiff.

[RightWingMarine]

allow me to restate the Liberal position on healthcare to make sure I understand.

My family and I live a healthy life and take care of ourselves and we pay in taxes for all the healthcare that we need each year plus some more.
My neighbor and his family choose to eat pizza while sitting in front of the television everyday and is afflicted with a myriad of health problems. His family also pays their taxes but falls far short compared to the amount of healthcare he uses.

why does this seem like a good idea to anyone? If I want to help my neighbor then I will voluntarily, why does the Liberal position have to include force? To reach into your own pocket and help someone is a good and laudable thing; to reach into someone elses' pocket is theft. When the govt does it it is govt sponsored theft.

[NCYvonne]

Here's the liberal position: people like you (with your health habits) pay 3 times more for health insurance because 50 million are uninsured. That's why an aspirin costs $75 in the hospital. You're paying for those who don't have insurance already.

American corporations can't compete with foreign corporations when foreign corporations don't have to bear that huge burden health insurance.

Liberals say "if everybody is covered, the cost will drop for everybody!."

Wing nutters say "doesn't matter if I ultimately pay less. I don't want to do anything that will help anybody else!"

[RightWingMarine]

ah but here's the rub, you are assuming that I have health insurance. If I don't (and I did not until I was 30) my insurance costs drop to zero. Now if I become ill or get injured then I bear the entire cost of treatment but that is a risk I get to decide for myself if I will take. Under the Liberal plan some bureaucrats get to decide how much health care coverage I need and take it from me by force.

I have no issue at all with helping other people and am activly involved in a charity (http://the3day.org/goto/mcintosh) What I and others object to is additional govt intrusion into my life. I'm an adult I can make decisions about my life on my own, I don't need Washington's help.

[jwredd]

So if you end up being able to pay less than you do now for health insurance, you would still be upset that a lower income family would being paying less taxes than you and getting decent health care? Just to rephrase- you pay less, and everyone gets covered..... that's just too much of an affront to your principles?

[bigskydem]

Great! How about your social security and medicare? Don't forget some day you may be that guy laying around eating pizza while the rest us of pay taxes, social security and medicare for you.

[RightWingMarine]

I'm not so optomistic to believe that medicare or social security will still be here when I get old enough to collect.

[ChelseaC]

Do you feel that way about education, police, fire department, postal service, public transportation, highways, military, etc?
Yes, you have a point about personal responsibility about diet/exercise-- we as American need a diet overhaul--no doubt about that, however, your pizza eating/sitting on ass watching TV analogy does not work when someone has been in a car accident, breaks their leg, catches a virus or gets sick with cancer or contracts Lyme disease.
I have Lyme disease--I was an avid hiker, got my daily exercise walking on the wooded trails. I also ate all natural organic food. I was not sitting on my ass eating pizza. I was in grad school taking "responsibility" for my life.My diagnosis came late, medical bills piled. My insurance company is sticking it to me for the cost of treating late Lyme--incresasing my premuims.
I have to fight with them to get coverage. I am sick, I am in pain, I am tired.
You have no idea what you are talking about until YOU get sick.

I don't want to take your rights away, if you want to continue making CEOs rich--go for it.
I would rather have a public option:
http://www.standwithdrdean.com/credo

http://www.pnhp.org/change/

[LeighAnnes]

I'm so tired of conservatives who think people with health problems deserve it. A healthy lifestyle decreases risk factors it does not guarantee good health. Many diseases are inherited. In my lifetime, I have known many.

My best friend, who ate right, didn't smoke and exercise, died of ovarian cancer at the age of 45 ,after five years of treatment. My husbands best friend, who was not overweight and didn't smoke, died of a heart attack at 44. My brother is 45. He eats right, doesn't smoke or drink and is thin and gets plenty of exercise because he is a construction worker, has extremely high blood pressure.

I had berger's disease. It is a disease not related to lifestyle. My doctor said I was the perfect example of why we need Universal Health Care. If I hadn't had insurance, I wouldn't have gone to the doctor until I felt bad. Then I would have been in the emergency room on dialysis. It would have cost about 1000 times more than the pills I took that cured me.

And what about accidents? You could trip or fall off a ladder and injure your spine.

We should have Universal Health Care because in a civilized society, health care is a right not a privilege. Also it would cost us less money as a society. We already pay twice as much per person for health care in this country. Insurance companies make profits by DENYING services not by providing them.