President Obama speaks to doctors to promote health overhaul

President Obama told dozens of doctors gathered in the White House Rose Garden this morning that all arguments have been heard in the completed committees' work on health care reform and reiterated that reform will get done this year. "At this point, we've heard all the arguments on both sides of the aisle," Obama said, calling "crazy" the claims about end-of-life counseling and "misleading" the words about a government health care takeover. He told the audience of doctors that reform wouldn't interfere with the physician-patient relationship. He also and outlined broadly what he wants health care reform to include: More "security" for people who like their health care in the form of limits regarding what health insurance companies can charge.  

The Chicago Tribune: "The president didn't address the question of whether he will push for the creation of a public plan, a government-run alternative that people could choose if they didn't like any of the private options, even though behind the scenes his administration is testing its political viability. The White House is talking to moderate lawmakers about whether they can include some version of a public option in the merger between House and Senate bills without dooming the final product" (Parsons, 10/6).

Fox News: "White House press secretary Reid Cherlin described the assembled physicians — representing all 50 states — as the best voices for reform because they witness the current health care system on a day-to-day basis. … But the gathering of 150 doctors in the Rose Garden of the White House featured only those medical professionals who support reform — and the invitation-only guest list draws heavily from Doctors for America, a grassroots organization that backs a government-run insurance option (10/5).

The Associated Press: "The president broke no ground in his comments. He outlined the tenets of his health reform plan: expanded and affordable health coverage options for tens of millions of people, strengthened protections for those who already have insurance, and more time for health professionals to help patients with preventative and healing care" (Babington, 10/5).