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President Obama plans to show Republicans the same health bill they’ve been rejecting for months at an upcoming health summit. Mr. Obama wants lawmakers to use the current house and senate passed bills as a starting point for the health bill discussion. The meeting is set to bring Republicans and Democrats together. The President has said he wants both sides to discuss their opinions and ideas about the health bill at the summit, to come together on a comprehensive health bill.
Republicans agree the health system needs some changes and that medical insurance should be more affordable. However, they have been very open in their opposition to the current health bills. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, have said the current health bills should be scrapped and that any negotiation should start with a blank slate.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the current bills incorporate many ideas from Republicans including a special pool for people with pre-existing conditions, more affordable health insurance for young and healthy individuals, and allowing consumers to shop for health coverage across state lines.
The health bill may soon be accessible for all to see. Mr. Obama said he envisioned posting a merged House-Senate bill that would address his goals of controlling costs and expanding coverage. “Now, we have a package, as we work through the differences between the House and the Senate, and we’ll put it up on a Web site for all to see over a long period of time, that meets those criteria, meets those goals,’’ the president said.
Tags: affordable health insurance, health bil, health bill, medical insurance
