Obama broadens healthcare campaign with warning of gaps in cover

Published on Saturday 12 September 2009 19:47

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama broadened his pitch for healthcare reform to Americans who have health insurance yesterday, reminding them they risk losing cover at some time.

A Treasury Department report found about half of Americans under 65 – the age government Medicare insurance coverage starts – would lose healthcare cover at some point in the next ten years, Obama said in his weekly radio address.

"If you're under the age of 21 today, chances are more than half that you'll find yourself uninsured at some point in that time. And more than one-third of Americans will go without coverage for longer than one year," Obama said.

Many Americans are wary of the need for insurance reform as they have health insurance through their employers, and Obama has said his programme would not force them to change their insurance or doctors.

But polls have shown many do not believe they would benefit from Obama's plan to ensure all citizens have affordable insurance coverage, and worry that it would increase the US budget deficit and taxation.

The insurance industry has also fiercely opposed plans for a government-run insurance programme – the "public option" – a part of Obama's plan.

Criticised by some supporters for doing too little to push his plan even as his approval ratings slipped during the summer, Obama seems to be throwing his full weight behind his top domestic policy priority.

He sought to take control of a debate bogged down in Congress by outlining his vision for overhauling the $2.5 trillion (1.5trn) industry in a high-stakes address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.

Obama followed up the speech by meeting with nurses on Thursday, and travelled to Minnesota for a rally on reform yesterday. He is set to discuss healthcare at a meeting in Ohio and an address to the

AFL-CIO labour union on Tuesday, and is scheduled to hold a rally in Maryland on Thursday.

His address was well reviewed, but appeared to have changed few minds in Congress, which must pass any healthcare reform bill. Obama is trying to win over Republicans and conservatives within his Democratic party.

The plan would cost $900 billion (540bn) over ten years, Obama said, but he has not provided specifics on financing it. Some opponents, citing different cost analyses, say that estimate is impossibly low and would mean cuts to benefits provided to the elderly.

"The most significant detail is the cost of his plan – and its impact on our long-term budget deficit," Senator John Cornyn said.

"When you start counting in 2013, the first full year of implementation, the cost of the House bill comes to about $2.4 trillion over 10 years, according to the Senate Budget Committee," Cornyn said.

The Treasury study used data collected on about 17,123 Americans and found that 48 per cent were without health insurance for at least a month at some point from 1997-2006. Forty-one per cent went without health insurance for at least six months during the ten years, although the six months were not necessarily consecutive. Thirty-six per cent were without healthcare cover for at least 12 months in the ten-year span.

"Extensive research indicates going without health insurance – even for a limited period of time – reduces access to needed healthcare, negatively impacts health outcomes, and increases the likelihood of financial devastation," the report said.