Schwarzenegger Says He Supports Health Care Reform

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

(CBS)

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement today in support of health care reform, making him the latest Republican to endorse the reform efforts currently underway.

"As governor, I have made significant efforts to advance health reform in California," Schwarzenegger said in a statement passed on by the White House. "Our principal goals, slowing the growth in costs, enhancing the quality of care delivered, improving the lives of individuals, and helping to ensure a strong economic recovery, are the same goals that [President Obama] is trying to achieve. I appreciate his partnership with the states and encourage our colleagues on both sides of the political aisle at the national level to move forward and accomplish these vital goals for the American people."

The White House also made note on Monday of the praise former Bush administration official Tommy Thompson gave for the health care legislation under development in the Senate Finance Committee. Thompson, the former Health and Human Services Secretary during the Bush administration and former governor of Wisconsin, released a statement with former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt.

"The bill that the Senate Finance Committee will vote out for consideration by the full Senate this week is another important step toward achieving the goal of health care reform this year. It moves us down the path of providing affordable high-quality health care for all and expanding coverage for millions," the statement says. "Failure to reach an agreement on health reform this year is not an acceptable option... We urge our former colleagues in Congress to work with President Obama and leaders in both houses and both parties to hammer out a final agreement this year based on common sense principles to ensure that quality care is affordable for every American."

Meanwhile, former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told Time magazine on Friday that while he does not approve of all the proposals Democrats have included in health care legislation, he would ultimately vote in favor of reform.

"I would end up voting for it," he told Time. "As leader, I would take heat for it. ... That's what leadership is all about."

Frist said he is in favor of stricter regulations on insurance companies to protect consumers as well as a mandate for all Americans to acquire health care. He said, however, that the legislation currently under consideration does not do enough to control costs.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a former Republican now registered as an independent, put out his own statement.

"The health reform proposal that Congress will shortly consider is shaping up to merit broad, bipartisan support, incorporating Republican ideas and earning deserved support from Republican leaders," it says. "The approach has great potential to reduce costs for families, businesses and government at every level over the long term, while extending coverage to many millions of the uninsured and investing in proven, cost-effective public health strategies."

Bloomberg, who is running for re-election, won the endorsement today of John Podesta, CEO of the liberal think tank the Center for American Progress and Mr. Obama's presidential transition team leader.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by doc_holliday76 October 7, 2009 9:46 AM EDT: by jojo9357-2009:
"We all want health care reform. It just needs to be health care reform, not insurance take over from private to government."
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by Solarrays247:
"Man, did they take us for a ride or what? I say ENOUGH! The American citizens have been thoroughly raped and pillaged by the health insurance companies ....it is time for them to go!!!!"
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Yep....that ride by the for-profit insurance industry has taken the majority of Americans into an era of ever-increasing premiums, higher deductibles, higher co-pays, and an out-of-control health care industry that makes the important decisions that should be reserved for physicians and patients.

But it seems that even now, we're seeing that the congresscritters are owned by the for-profit insurance/pharmaceutical industry, and to get TRUE health care reform, the unsustainable and unaffordable system will have to fail.; Reply to this comment

by docpeter1953 October 6, 2009 3:37 PM EDT

Schwarzenegger Says He Supports Health Care Reform

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Of course he would, anything to get the Fed. Govt. to help out a bankrupt CA. govt. he would be in favor of, a true republican.

Reply to this comment


by jojo9357-2009 October 6, 2009 7:59 PM EDT: We all want health care reform. It just needs to be health care reform, not insurance take over from private to government.


by Solarrays247 October 6, 2009 9:06 PM EDT: jojo9357-2009 October 6, 2009 7:59 PM EDT
We all want health care reform. It just needs to be health care reform, not insurance take over from private to government.
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Why not?

What happened to the mini-health insurance reform that took place in the late 1980's? The health insurance companies claimed that the way to contain costs was by adopting the HMO and PPO platforms! The insurance companies guaranteed us that these programs would be sufficient.....universal health care would not be necessary......

Man, did they take us for a ride or what? I say ENOUGH! The American citizens have been thoroughly raped and pillaged by the health insurance companies ....it is time for them to go!!!!

by Confidential416 October 6, 2009 3:21 PM EDT

I wish we would stop playing politics with healthcare. We need reform, we need it now.

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by docpeter1953 October 6, 2009 3:39 PM EDT: We need reform, BUT we DO NOT need it immediately. We can afford to wait and fix it right the first time.

I don't have insurance, but I am willing to wait. If I get sick I die, no problem there.


by jojo9357-2009 October 6, 2009 7:58 PM EDT: Obama doesn't want it now...he wants it in 2012.


by slownewsday_5 October 6, 2009 3:12 PM EDT: The Republicans need to play ball if they want to attract any moderates at all in the next elections.; Reply to this comment

by endurorob_5 October 6, 2009 2:46 PM EDT

jxknowles October 6, 2009 2:30 PM EDT
Healthcare has become the largest expenditure for Federal and State Governments, and a significant drain on American Businesses and the economy. Anybody who is seriously interested in budget deficit reduction understands the implications of not acting. It's a no-brainer.

And how is this bill going to decrease costs? It won't. It will only transfer and increase costs to the taxpayer. If you want to get costs under control then regulation is the only way to go.

Reply to this comment


by jxknowles October 6, 2009 2:54 PM EDT: endurorob, please review each of the bills that came out of committee, get your facts straight, then I will respond to your comment. Please, do your homework first.


by docpeter1953 October 6, 2009 3:40 PM EDT: Which bill?

Most of it hasn't been written yet, they are just going to vote for it and write it after the fact.

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by jxknowles October 6, 2009 2:30 PM EDT: Healthcare has become the largest expenditure for Federal and State Governments, and a significant drain on American Businesses and the economy. Anybody who is seriously interested in budget deficit reduction understands the implications of not acting. It's a no-brainer.

Even the Faux-TeaBag Party crowd realize they were played for fools into to attending those photo-op media events sponsored by the FOX Bogus Channel. Dig deep GOP faithful and sink your hard-earned money into the re-election bids of David Vitter or John Ensign. The ranting right-wing radio crowd has moved on to some other imaginary liberal crisis. What a difference a few months make.; Reply to this comment

by ApimpnameSlickBack October 6, 2009 1:49 PM EDT

Many morons are going flip out that another Republican is siding with the president on health care reform....

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by stuart-johns1 October 6, 2009 2:29 PM EDT: Well. You have to admit. The republicans don't need any more of their kind "flipping" out. Is'nt Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, Gov. Stanford, Ensign, Grassley and Ensi et al enough?

Plus they have their leader Rush Limbaugh and VP Glen Beck who are in a state of suspended "flipping out". Yeah. Those morons don't want any defections. They're already a minority enough.


by stn_sage October 6, 2009 1:46 PM EDT: LMAO! So---"some" Republicans are coming out in favor of health care reform, huh?! No doubt! Now, that they have the 'botched' Baucus plan to rally around, which does next to nothing for the public and protects and enables the insurance industry to continue 'ripping off' the public!

Plus, it's a good idea to have a little game of 'good cop, bad cop' going on!

Yeah, Republicans don't want health care reform---period! But, they WILL pay a price at election time for their REJECTION of it!

So, it's time to PRETEND they want it! And, by the time elections roll around, they'll try to get the public to believe THEY were the ones promoting health care reform!!

...if the public is silly enough to fall for it, that is!; Reply to this comment


by endurorob_5 October 6, 2009 1:25 PM EDT: Bloomberg, who is running for re-election, won the endorsement today of John Podesta, CEO of the liberal think tank the Center for American Progress and Mr. Obama's presidential transition team leader.

And that would have nothing to do with his statements on the health care bill.; Reply to this comment