Obama Fights Back Against Health Care Critics

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

(AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Updated at 2:55 p.m. ET with more information.

After months of debate over health care reform, the final push to get a bill through Congress will need public support, President Obama said at a town hall meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

"I need your help if you want a health care system that works," the president said. "Knocking on doors, talking to neighbors. Let's get this done."

The president also pushed back against criticisms and distortions of his plans for health reform, including the infamous "death panel" myth. Mr. Obama made it clear he does not support "death panels." However, as CBS News Correspondent Kimberly Dozier reports from Portsmouth, the idea has made many people angry.

The notion of government bureaucrats denying care to patients stems from two health care proposals: The House Democrats' legislation would allow Medicare to pay for end-of-life consultations. Also, Mr. Obama has advocated creating a medical advisory committee to oversee the costs of Medicare.

"In terms of these expert health panels -- this goes to the point of 'death panels,' that's what folks are calling it -- the idea is pretty straightforward," Mr. Obama said. "We've got a panel of experts --- health experts, doctors-- who can provide guildelines for what procedures work best... These aren't going to be forced on people, but they will help guide how the delivery system works so that you are getting a higher quality of care. And it turns out higher quality care often costs less."

The president also shot back at claims that such panels would lead to "rationing" of care, if not death panels. He said insurance companies already ration care.

"Why is it people would prefer people having insurance companies make those decisions rather than medical experts and doctors figuring out what are good deals for care?" he asked.

Mr. Obama acknowledged that there are many legitimate concerns and areas of disagreement over health care reform. For instance, he said it is legitimate for some people to be concerned a government-sponsored health care option, or "public plan," could run the private insurance industry out of business.

"That's a legitimate concern -- I disagree with it, but that's a legitimate debate to have," he said.

His underlying message, however, was that "the status quo is not working for you." He focused on the consumer protections that would be put in place through insurance industry regulations.

Mr. Obama said he does not think the government should meddle in people's health care decisions, "but I also don't think insurance company bureaucrats should be meddling."

Health care reform, he said, would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person's medical history and would also prevent them from dropping a person's coverage after he or she becomes sick. Out-of-pocket expenses would be limited.

Right now, the president said, "No one holds these companies accountable for these practices."

Mr. Obama also tried to counter arguments that health care reform will cost too much. He attacked critics in Congress -- who he said refer to him as "Big-Spending Obama," even though they signed former President George W. Bush's prescription drug bill, which has contributed to the current national debt.

"I'm proposing something that will be paid for, and they signed into law something wasn't," he said.

Though he attacked his critics, the president said he was still interested in pursuing bipartisan reform. He specifically praised the three Republican senators currently working on a bipartisan compromise -- Sens. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Olympia Snow of Maine and Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Still, Mr. Obama said, "The most important thing is getting it done for the American people."

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by hungry1968-16 August 12, 2009 8:03 AM EDT: by guyfrompa46 August 12, 2009 7:18 AM EDT
Can someone please set the clock back to last November so we can have a do over.

You want Obama to win by 80%?; Reply to this comment


by guyfrompa46 August 12, 2009 7:18 AM EDT: Can someone please set the clock back to last November so we can have a do over.; Reply to this comment


by grabandgo August 12, 2009 7:11 AM EDT: nobama is lying to the American people.
He cut a deal with drug companies for their support.
This will cost us over 80 BILLION DOLLARS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCbwde1iRLQ; Reply to this comment


by michaelm07 August 12, 2009 5:52 AM EDT: You don't have to try to demonize it. All you have to do is read it with an open mind to see it is a bad deal.

End of life conseling, take a pill instead of get the procedure, these are Obama's own words. Look up the term Euthanasia in the dictionary.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck, IT'S A DUCK?; Reply to this comment


by sogaman August 12, 2009 5:52 AM EDT: One thing I am not hearing a lot about is the fact President Obama wanted this health care bill passed BEFORE the summer break congress takes, now he wants to talk!!?? What about talking before then, we (the American Citizen) were not meant to get a chance to have a say in this, thank God for a few level headed Blue Dogs or we would have government run health care already. The blog by Mac at 0310 hits the nail on the head to me as to what is really up.; Reply to this comment


by speakinup22 August 12, 2009 1:50 AM EDT: Franklin Delano. Roosevelt (Terms of Office March 4, 1933, to April 12, 1945), a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He Promised:
1.)That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary,
2.)That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual Incomes into the Program,
3.)That the money the participants elected to put Into the Program would be deductible from Their income for tax purposes each year,
4.)That the money the participants put into the Independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the General operating fund, and therefore, would Only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and
5.)That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

If I recall correctly, 1958 is the first year that a Democratically Controlled Congress, not President Eisenhower, voted to remove funds from Social Security and put it into the General Fund for Congress to spend.

From what I understand, Congress logic at that time was that there was so much money in the Social Security Fund that it would never run out or be used up for the purpose it was intended/set aside for.

Question: Which Political Party took Social Security from the Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the General Fund so that Congress could spend it?

Answer: It was Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat, Term of Office: November 22,1963 to January 20, 1969) and the democratically Controlled House and Senate.

Question: Which Political Party decided to start giving Annuity payments to immigrants?

ANSWER: Jimmy Carter Jr. (Democrat, Term of office: January 20, 1977 TO JANUARY 20, 1981 and the democrat party. The Democratic party gave these payments to them at age 65, even though they never put a dime in.

Question: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?

Answer: The Democratic Party, with Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. (Al Gore) [Vice President Term of Office: January 10, 1993 to January 20, 2001] casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US ...

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats want to "reform" Health care ?!?!

We can't afford to let Obama do this.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have".
Thomas Jefferson; Reply to this comment


by reveal5 August 12, 2009 1:05 AM EDT: How can a group of protestors be supporting the Constitution while simultaneously disallowing freedom of speech to other Americans. That is exactly backwords. Doesn't make sense.; Reply to this comment


by reveal5 August 12, 2009 12:43 AM EDT: Sorry man, ocreader, but you are soooooooooooooooooooooooo slow. Perhaps another day. Probably not, though. Cheerio!; Reply to this comment


by reveal5 August 12, 2009 12:42 AM EDT: It sure is taking you a long time to repost my comments and add your own words. You righties are tricky. I'm not the fastest typist either, but this is ridiculous.; Reply to this comment