Washington, September 09: President Barack Obama takes on the bitter healthcare reform debate on Wednesday with a high-stakes speech to the U.S. Congress on his top domestic policy priority.
Faced with falling public approval ratings, Obama said his televised address at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) would provide Americans with “a much more detailed plan” about his vision for overhauling the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system.
“They will have a lot of clarity about what I think is the best way to move forward,” Obama told ABC network’s “Good Morning America” show.
His fellow Democrats, who have solid majorities in both houses of Congress, have struggled to craft a reform bill they can agree on, while most Republicans have fought it, arguing that it amounts to a government takeover of healthcare.
Obama’s speech marks a new approach in the White House’s effort to rebuild support for the overhaul after Republicans took control of the healthcare debate during the summer with a volley of attacks on the Democrat proposals.
The Republican criticism resonated with many Americans worried that the $1 trillion cost of the overhaul would add to the country’s mountain of debt, despite White House assertions that it would be fully paid for.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama will discuss reforming medical malpractice lawsuits, which Republicans blame for raising medical costs.
“The president will talk about meaningful malpractice reform tonight. What I hope that does is cause Republicans to understand that we’re close to getting something truly significant done for the American people, truly significant for those struggling with the high cost of health insurance,” Gibbs said on “Fox Morning News.”
But Gibbs would not say whether Obama would propose capping malpractice claims, as many Republicans want.
DEFINE HIS PRESIDENCY
Obama’s success or failure in getting Congress to pass comprehensive healthcare reform this year could help define the rest of his presidency. If he fails he would be politically weakened and would likely struggle to get the rest of his ambitious legislative agenda through Congress.
Obama told ABC he would use his speech to “make sure that Democrats and Republicans understand that I’m open to new ideas, that we’re not being rigid and ideological about this thing, but we do intend to get something done this year.”
He dodged repeated questions on whether he would veto any healthcare bill that did not provide for a government-run healthcare plan to compete with private insurers.
“There are principles that if they are not embodied in the bill, I will not sign it,” he said.
The bill should not increase the deficit, should expand healthcare coverage to the uninsured and include insurance reforms, he said.
—Agencies