by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Sept. 10, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

          Addressing a joint session of Congress on health care, President Barack Obama tried to pull his reform plan out of a nosedive, leaving only 40% of the public approving his plan.  Showing the soaring oratory that propelled him to the White House, Barack tried to answer his Republican critics.  He dismissed as a “lie” the idea that his plan created “death panels” for the elderly, a charge made by former Alaska Gov. and GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.  He also dismissed GOP rhetoric that his plan was a “government takeover.”  “The president had a chance tonight to take the government-run health care off the table.  Unfortunately, he didn’t do it,” said Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), delivering the Republican rebuttal, Boustany, reciting his Party’s talking points.  Boustany, a former heart surgeon, doesn’t call the VA, Medicare or Medicaid government takeovers.

            Barack tried to reverse a successful GOP propaganda campaign, turning his health plan into a ruinous government disaster.  “I will not stand by while special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are,” alluding to the insurance lobby that stands to lose profit and market share from Barack’s health plan.   Obama wants a federal ban on insurance industry practices of excluding preexisting conditions or, cancellations based on undisclosed medical conditions.  Like the oil business, the insurance industry is close to a monopoly, where there’s a lack of healthy competition in the marketplace.  “If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out.  And I will not accept the status quo as a solution.  Not this time.  Not now,” said Barack, putting his critics on notice that they’re in for a fight.  He doesn’t want the plan to end up like Clintons’ in 1993.

            Barack’s failure to sell his plan over the last three months has left him in a big hole.  Right wing groups have done a better job of raising objections than Barack has answering them.  Despite all the high expectations for Barack’s speech, he still left out the crucial selling points and details needed to reassure skeptics.  While stating illegal aliens would not get covered, it prompted an inappropriate outburst by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), blurting out “you lie,” in response to whether illegals would get covered.  Trying get specific, Barack promised that no government or insurance bureaucrat would interfere with the doctor-patient relationship.  What Barack didn’t say was whether his plan was an HMO or an indemnity insurance plan, something critical to potential subscribers.  Both offer dramatically difference approaches to health care.  Indemnity plans let patients pick their own doctors.

            It’s difficult to sell a plan that doesn’t specify the terms-and-conditions.  Any responsible insurance broker can tell prospects the terms-and-conditions of individual or group insurance plans.  Yet Barack can’t even estimate the costs of premiums, types of deductibles, co-payment, exclusions, waiting period or specific eligibility criteria.  Barack prefers a “public option,” where the government becomes the payor-source, like in Medicare and Medicaid.  Republicans object to the “government option” largely due to record federal budget deficits and worries that bigger deficits could harm the U.S. dollar and short-and long-term prospects for the economy.  Some in the GOP object simply because they want to hand Obama a political defeat. Boustany, delivering the GOP rebuttal, insisted that most Americans wanted the president to start-over with a new bipartisan plan.

            Republicans seek nothing short than a political defeat for Barack, hoping to improve chances in next yea’s midterm elections.  Barack tried to reassure voters that his plan would provide better care at a lower cost than many private or employer-based insurance plans.  “And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have.  With many Congressional Republicans using Medicare benefits, it’s hard to imagine they would object to government health care.  Calling Barack’s plan a government takeover works with currently employed subscribers satisfied with employer-based health plans.  Barack missed a golden opportunity on national TV to tell future subscribers that his plan would offer better care and benefits at lower costs

Barack’s national health care plan raises plenty of anxiety precisely because of the lack of details.  Promising to keep bureaucrats out the doctor-patient relationship, doesn’t say whether he’s pushing an HMO or indemnity insurance plan.  If the plan takes after Medicare, it would be an indemnity plan giving patients the fundamental right of when and with whom to seek treatment.  If it’s an HMO plan, gatekeepers would decide when subscribers could utilize benefits.  Without specifying the details, it’s more difficult to get skeptics to buy in to Barack’s plan.  It’s not enough to summon the name of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) to pass health care reform.  Proof must be in the pudding, the nitty-gritty details that specify premiums, coverage, deductibles, co-pays, waiting periods, exclusions and all other relevant information.  Holding back the details only makes potential buyers more skeptical.

 John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.