Gibbs: No "Postal Service" for Health Care

(CBS)  White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said on Face the Nation Sunday that President Obama is still in favor a government-sponsored health insurance plan -- but does not intend to replicate the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service.

The federal government would be able to successfully administer a health insurance option, Gibbs told CBS Anchor Harry Smith, even though the government-run Postal Service is facing serious financial problems.

"I don't think he was saying that what we were going to do is create the postal service for healthcare," Gibbs said. "The president believes this option of a government plan is the best way to provide choice and competition."

The president intends to build on the employer-based insurance market already in place, Gibbs said. He added, though, that the public option would drive down costs and provide more options particularly for people who currently have limited options.

"There are places in this country unfortunately where if you don't get insurance through your job and you are seeking it on the private insurance market you don't have any choice but one health insurance company," he said.

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Gibbs said the riskiest option of all is leaving the status quo in place.

"We know that premiums will skyrocket -- for a family listening out there, your premiums will double in less than nine years if we do nothing," he said.

The president's town hall meetings have been an attempt to dispel the myths surrounding health care reform, Gibb said. He stressed, though, that most conversations on the topic have been civil.

"I think most of what you are seeing on TV, no offense, is good TV, and that's about it," he said. "I think the vast majority of people are having discussions, whether it is around their kitchen table or with their congressmen... and they are doing this the way every American discusses issues, and that is trying to get some information and some facts to make a good decision.

Gibbs added that the economy has "pulled back from the edge of going into a depression," but that there is still room for improvement.

"This president won't be satisfied that our economy is back on track again until the people that want to work in this economy can find a good paying job that lets them provide for their family," he said.

[wyzguy11]

The "partisans" on the healthcare debate are ridiculous! We are the wealthiest nation on the planet. Every American should have health care.

We can pay for it by "taxing" unnecessary procedures such as breast implants, facelifts, liposuction, and botox treatments and use the money to pay for necessary treatments like child immunizations.

For cripes sakes......Joan Rivers could pay to immunize a small West Virginian town by herself...lol.

[Darkman1955]

I would like to know what areas of the country have only one choice for private health care. And who that company is. Sounds like more Obama Babble that is not founded in fact. I have searched for Private health care and there are over 50 providers that I know of.

[ianlou]

One of the loudest complains about a public option for health care is that it will put private health insurance companies out of business.

Well Boo Hoo!!!

If they had not been so greedy, this issue would never have reached our legislators in Washington.

This reminds me of the campaign banks were waging to limit public access to credit unions.

The argument (translated) was "How can we as banks expect to be able to continue gouging people when credit unions are none profit?"


Let the Health Insurance Industry go the way of the Telemarketing Industry, the are just as worthless, greedy and irritating.

[xlib]

Since the unsolicited emails sent from your WH to citizens who have not contacted the WH isn't covered here I just thought I would let you know that,in typical democrat way they blame a THIRD PARTY. They had nothing to do with the emails sent, supposedly, by the 2nd pit bull, axelrod.
See, a reporter had the AUDACITY to ask gibbs about this issue and he, in typical arrogant democrat way, got testy and downright rude. But, then they came out and blamed someone else. So typical of the left. NOT OUR DOING!!!

[rhs648]

It is amazing that no matter what a country does there are critics and backseat quarterbacks. Mexico has serious problems with lawless and violent drug cartels. Kidnappings, beheadings, torture, murder of soldiers, policemen, reporters, innocent people, and whole families are becoming an everyday occurrence. It appears that the Mexican government feels that most Mexican customs people are corrupt and must be replaced. For some posters, no matter what governments do, there is a need to find fault and condemn their efforts. They are dammed if they do and dammed if they don't.

[xlib]

I do believe country's where there isn't any dissent are governed by tyranny. I suppose you would prefer that, correct? Under the previous administration there was daily dissent for anything and everything. When a government attempts to take over every aspect of our lives so quickly and without any real discussion, yep, we don't like that. See, may of us aren't sheep, we question,we criticize AND it would seem, we get called names and are demonized by politicians.
To compare us to Mexico seems rather simplistic to me. It appears you don't think dissent is needed until we reach the beheading stage?? Rather strange.

[STBY21]

The Federal government is planning on using a nationwide "group" like they do with Medicare. If they allowed private plans that same option instead of being state specific they would have larger groups and make the health care costs more uniform. This is a reform that could take place without the government stepping in and screwing the whole thing up...again.

They just keep repeating that anyone who is against the house or senate bill wants the status quo to continue. I have yet to meet a person who wants the status quo to continue. Most people want a reform of healthcare, but just one that is not so radical and far reaching all at once. Limited reform of health insurance is not a bad idea, but you have to be careful.

Obama sees in the polls that most Americans want healthcare reform so he puts together a radical plot for the government to take it over. If we took a poll and found out that 52% of the American people believe life could exist on Mars Obama would put together a plan to move us all there in the next five years.

I just HOPE that Obama doesn't CHANGE everything else.

[rhs648]

State insurance commissioners must approve both health insurance policies offered in their state and must approve rate increases. On top of that, state legislatures mandate coverages that must be included in policies. In Maryland, for example, group insurance policies can not have preexisting conditions clauses. It is not true that insurance companies are unregulated. Health care could be reformed in incremental stages by not allowing insurance policies to have preexisting condition clauses and insuring uninsured people who can't afford it with subsidies. Health care reform doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition. Fear of the unknown and questions of how people will be affected by these reforms scares many people. Hence, there is a backlash against reform.

[jsd330]

rhs648

you are correct about state insurance, what needs to be done is have the Federal government combine state regulations and come up with one set of regulations for all 50 states. That would open up competition with all the insurers by not having the states create monoply's by only allowing certant companies to sell in their states.

[wmsshields]

Why would anyone believe a word from Obama's mouth? Campaign promises: C-Span coverage of back room negotiations; no earmarks; read every line of legislation; bipartisan lawmaking; no new taxes on middle class; open and honest; balanced budget; eliminate deficit... If any form of healtcare "change" passes, why should we not expect governement mismanagement a la Post Office, Amtrack, Veterans' health care, medicare, social security etc etc etc. Even the car dealers are not getting paid for the Cash for Clunkers! Washington is guaranteed to foul up every thing they meddle in, and our health is too important for this gamble. Especially with the current lying administration and congress.

[consciousnes]

B.S.!!!!!!!!!
First of all you can't even equate the US Postal Service with what OBAMA is trying to do to health care.
Second, if it weren't for the Democratic Congress that is FORCING the Postal service to pay 5 Billion dollars a year 'UP FRONT" for "Advanced" retire health care the Postal Service would not be having the problems it is having today and the price of stamps would NOT have had to go up.
In the last 5 years the Postal Service has paid $25 Billion dollars into this fund and yes, today the Postal Service is looking at loosing about $7 Billion. Let me see, where is the other $18 Billion dollars that Congress has control over that the Postal Service paid in?
If Gibbs wants to equate the US Postal Service with anyone, lets look at Congress. The Postal Service has the "HIGHEST" customer satisfaction rate of any, that is "ANY" Federal agency. The Postal Service also runs on a "Non-Profit" making adgenda. In other words it is "NOT" supposed to make money, just break even. But, with Congress's fingers in their pocketbook, that is NOT possible.
"DOES CONGRESS BREAK EVEN?"

[xlib]

Hey cbs, what's with the way the posts are coming up??