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January 29, 2010

Obama: Don’t Walk Away from Health Reform

In a State of the Union message that focused on job creation for a recovering economy, President Obama indicated that he had not fully explained the complexities of health care reform to the American people. Acknowledging the current gridlock, he said, "I want everyone to take another look at the plan we’ve proposed. There’s a reason why many doctors, nurses, and health care experts who know our system best consider this approach a vast improvement over the status quo." Reactions were mixed, and it is not clear yet what path health care reform will take in the days and weeks ahead.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was positive about reform in her response, "Addressing a critical challenge for our economy and millions of households, Congress will pass health insurance reform that lowers costs for American families and small businesses, creates jobs, and ends the insurance companies’ worst practices." Acknowledging major differences between the House and Senate versions of health reform and the need to move forward, Pelosi indicated that House leaders will try to move a small-scale health reform package to the floor, possibly in more than one bill, before the President’s Day recess.

IHA continues to support expansion of health coverage to the uninsured and health reform efforts that do not place undue burdens on hospitals. IHA will keep you informed of developments and its implications for members and the State of Illinois.