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DOWN WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR AN
INTERVIEW ABOUT THE BIGGEST
HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL IN A
LIFETIME.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
THE HOUSE WOULD VOTE ON THE BILL
THREE DAYS AFTER THAT INTERVIEW.
HOW MANY UNINSURED AMERICANS
WOULD REALLY BE COVERED?
HOW WOULD IT CHANGE THE QUALITY
OF CARE FOR EVERYONE ELSE WHO
ALREADY HAD INSURANCE?
AND COULD IT ACTUALLY INSURE ALL
THE EXTRA PEOPLE AND BRING DOWN
THE DEFICIT AS PROMISED?
>> FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE, THEIR HEALTH CARE IS NOT
GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE RIGHT
NOW THEY'RE GETTING A BETTER
DEAL.
THEY'LL HAVE MORE SECURITY.
SO THE NOTION --
>> HOW DO YOU GUARANTEE THEY'RE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP
THEIR DOCTOR --
>> BRET, YOU'VE GOT TO LET ME
FINISH MY ANSWER.
>> I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE THE
FILIBUSTER.
>> WELL, I'M TRYING TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOU KEEP
INTERRUPTING ME.
LET ME BE CLEAR.
NOW, YOU KEEP ON REPEATING THE
NOTION THAT IT'S ONE SIXTH OF
THE ECONOMY.
YES, IT'S ONE SIXTH OF THE
ECONOMY, BUT WE'RE NOT
TRANSFORMING ONE SIXTH OF THE
ECONOMY IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT FOR
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE HEALTH CARE, THEY'RE GOING
TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT.
THIS NOTION THAT THIS HAS BEEN
NOT TRANSPARENT, THAT PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW WHAT ITS THE BILL,
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S IN THE
BILL.
I SAT FOR SEVEN HOURS --
>> PRESIDENT, YOU COULDN'T TELL
ME THE SPECIAL DEALS THAT ARE IN
OR NOT TODAY.
>> I JUST TOLD YOU.
>> IS CONNECTICUT IN?
>> CONNECTICUT, WHAT ARE YOU
SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO?
>> $100 MILLION FOR THE
HOSPITAL.
IS MONTANA IN FOR THE ASBESTOS
PROGRAM?
>> TODAY, TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE
MARCH 31st FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT
AS HHS ANNOUNCES IT HAS REACHED
A MILESTONE OF 5 MILLION
ENROLLEES, WE REVISIT THOSE
QUESTIONS AND SEE HOW THINGS
HAVE PANNED OUT.
OVER THE NEXT FIVE DAYS, AN
OBAMACARE CHECK-UP, STARTING
TONIGHT WITH A LOOK AT HOW WE
GOT TO THIS POINT.
>> THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE MEDICAL
CARE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ACHIEVE AND ENJOY GOOD HEALTH.
>> I REPEATEDLY ASKED THE
CONGRESS TO PASS A HEALTH
PROGRAM.
>> NOW IS OUR CHANCE TO BEAT THE
HISTORICAL ODDS AND GIVE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE THE SECURITY
THEY NEED AND DESERVE.
>> I HAVE A UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE PLAN THAT WILL COVER EVERY
AMERICAN BY THE END OF MY FIRST
TERM AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
WE WILL HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I SUFFER NO ILLUSIONS THIS WILL
BE AN EASY PROCESS.
ONCE AGAIN, IT WILL BE HARD.
>> WE OPPOSE UNIVERSAL
GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH CARE.
HEALTH CARE DECISIONS SHOULD BE
MADE BY DOCTORS AND PATIENTS,
NOT BY GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS.
>> THE YEAS ARE 60, THE NAYS ARE
39.
HR-3590 HAS AMENDED THE PATIENT
PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT IS PASSED.
>> NOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
GO HOME AND FACE THE MUSIC AND
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE CHRISTMAS
CAROLS.
THIS IS REALLY THE UNWANTED GIFT
OF 2009.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN
ANSWER THE QUESTION IN THE
POSITIVE TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WILL
BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR
COVERAGE, PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO
SEE THE DOCTORS THEY WANT, IN
THE KIND OF BILL THAT YOU'RE
PROPOSING.
>> WELL, LET ME -- SINCE YOU
ASKED ME A QUESTION, LET ME
RESPOND.
THE 9 MILLION PEOPLE YOU
REFERRED TO WHO MIGHT HAVE TO
CHANGE THEIR COVERAGE, KEEP IN
MIND, OUT OF THE 300 MILLION
AMERICANS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
WOULD BE FOLKS WHO THE CBO, THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
ESTIMATE WOULD FIND THE DEAL IN
THE EXCHANGE BETTER.
>> BRET, THE CORE OF THIS BILL
IS GOING TO BE AFFECTING EVERY
AMERICAN FAMILY.
IF YOU HAVE INSURANCE, YOU'RE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE INSURANCE,
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO BUY INTO A
POOL LIKE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
HAVE.
BL WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
WORK CLOSER TOGETHER AND TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE
SURE THAT THIS BILL NEVER, EVER,
EVER PASSES.
>> WE'RE DOING THIS ONE FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
>> ON THIS VOTE, THE YEAS ARE
219.
THE NAYS ARE 212.
THE MOTION TO CONCUR IN THE
SENATE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> TODAY, AFTER ALL THE VOTES
HAVE BEEN TALLIED, HEALTH
INSURANCE REFORM BECOMES LAW IN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
>> THIS IS THE OBAMACARE
LEGISLATION, SIGNED INTO LAW.
IT'S MORE THAN 2700 PAGES LONG.
THAT'S ALREADY PRETTY HEFTY, BUT
THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, HHS, HAS A LOT OF
LEEWAY BECAUSE OF HOW THESE 2700
PAGES ARE WRITTEN.
SO TO ADJUST THIS LAW, HHS WOULD
WRITE NEW RULES OR REGULATIONS,
AND IF YOU ADD ALL OF THOSE UP,
IT IS MORE THAN 21,000 PAGES SO
FAR.
OBAMACARE AND THE RULES AND
REGULATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT,
STACK UP TO AT LEAST SEVEN FEET
HIGH.
AGAIN, SO FAR.
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE TRYING TO
INTERPRET ALL OF THESE
REGULATIONS WHILE ROLLING OUT A
MASSIVE NEW LAW HAS BEEN
ANYTHING BUT SMOOTH.
>> IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE, OR IF YOU BUY IT ON
THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET, THEN
STARTING THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER
1st, YOU CAN VISIT
HEALTHCARE.GOV TO FIND WHAT'S
CALLED THE HEALTH INSURANCE
MARKETPLACE IN YOUR STATE.
>> I TRIED BASICALLY EVERY DAY
SINCE IT OPENED.
AND EVENTUALLY, I GOT THROUGH,
ABOUT 15 DAYS IN.
>> YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD
HAVE TESHED IT AND RETESTED IT
BEFORE THE ROLLOUT ON OCTOBER
1st, AND THEY PROMISED IT WOULD
WORK ON OCTOBER 1st, AND OF
COURSE, IT HAS NOT WORKED.
>> TEMPORARILY DOWN.
>> UH-OH.
THAT'S OKAY, IT WILL COME BACK.
YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENS EVERY
DAY.
>> I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU
THAT THE WEBSITE HAS NOT WORKED
AS WELL AS IT SHOULD.
>> NOBODY HAS BEEN MORE
FRUSTRATED -- I WANTED TO GO IN
AND FIX IT MYSELF, BUT I DON'T
WRITE CODE.
>> WELL, I THINK SUCCESS LOOKS
LIKE AT LEAST 7 MILLION PEOPLE
HAVING SIGNED UP BY THE END OF
MARCH, 2014.
>> WE MAY NOT GET TO 7, BUT
WE'RE GOING TO GET TO 5 OR 6.
AND THAT'S A HELL OF A START.
>> HOW MANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE
SIGNED UP, THAT HAVE ENROLLED IN
OBAMACARE, HAVE PAID THEIR
PREMIUMS?
>> I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT, SIR,
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT.
>> HOW CAN IT BE THAT HHS IN
CHARGE OF THIS PROGRAM CITES A
NUMBER, 4.2 MILLION PEOPLE
SIGNED UP, BUT HAS NO IDEA HOW
MANY PEOPLE PAID?
>> NOTHING IN THIS PLAN WILL
REQUIRE YOU OR YOUR EMPLOYER TO
CHANGE YOUR COVERAGE OR YOUR
DOCTOR.
>> IF YOU LIKE YOUR PLAN, AND
YOU LIKE YOUR DOCTOR, YOU WON'T
HAVE TO DO A THING.
YOU KEEP YOUR PLAN.
YOU KEEP YOUR DOCTOR.
>> FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, MANY
FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE INITIALLY, YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE
SOME CHOICES, AND THEY MIGHT END
UP HAVING TO SWITCH DOCTORS, IN
PART BECAUSE THEY'RE SAVING
MONEY.
>> ALONG WITH THE ISSUES WITH
HEALTHCARE.GOV AND THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED UP,
THERE HAVE BEEN 34 OBAMACARE
DELAYS AND ADMINISTRATIVE FIXES
SINCE 2012.
SOME OF THE DELAYS WERE DUE TO
THE ADMINISTRATION HAVING
TROUBLE MEETING THE LAW'S OWN
DEADLINES.
WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN TO
APPEASE THE CRITICS OF OBAMACARE
AND THOSE WHO BEGAN RECEIVING
CANCELLATION NOTICES.
>> WE RECEIVED OUR LETTER.
I THINK NOW IT'S IN THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, WE'RE UP TO 290,000
OF US, THAT CANCELED OUR 25-YEAR
POLICY, WITH AN INSURANCE
COMPANY THAT WE WERE REALLY
HAPPY WITH.
>> I'LL BE PAYING ABOUT $550 A
MONTH MORE.
>> PEOPLE WHO HAVE PLANS THAT
PREDATE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
CAN KEEP THOSE PLANS IF THEY
HAVEN'T CHANGED.
TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND
THAT PRINCIPLE BOTH TO PEOPLE
WHOSE PLANS HAVE CHANGED SINCE
THE LAW TOOK EFFECT AND TO
PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT PLANS SINCE
THE LAW TOOK EFFECT.
>> WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT
MAKES SENSE FOR INSURERS TO HAVE
AS CLEAR A SENSE OF THE
CONSUMERS IN THE MARKET POOL
BEFORE NEXT YEAR, AND BECAUSE OF
THE PROBLEMS IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WEBSITE ON
HEALTH CARE DAULT GUV THAT WE
HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT HAS SLOWED
ENROLLMENT IN THE EARLY STAGES
HERE.
>> ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DELAY.
PRESIDENT OBAMA SLAMMING THE
BRAKES ON ANOTHER KEY PART OF
HIS NAMESAKE HEALTH CARE LAW.
>> HOW CAN A PRESIDENT THAT PUTS
HIS HAND ON THE BIBLE AND TAKES
AN OATH TO UPHOLD THE LAWS OF
THE UNITED STATES DO THIS?
WHAT AUTHORITY DOES HE HAVE TO
DO THAT?
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE
BEEN ASKING FOR.
NOW HE DOES IT, THEY'RE
COMPLAINING.
THIS IS SOMEWHAT ILLOGICAL.
>> THE PRESIDENT HAS DELAYED
THIS, DELAYED THAT, DELAYED
THIS.
AT SOME POINT, THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TO
UNDERSTAND HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS
COMING AT YOU.
MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOSE
THEIR POLICIES OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE YEARS.
>> I AM ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT
THAT YOU WILL SEE MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE BENEFITTING FROM THIS
LAW.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO DELAY THE
MANDATE THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO
BUY GOVERNMENT-APPROVED HEALTH
CARO PAY A TAX?
>> NO, SIR.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO DELAY THE
OPEN ENROLLMENT BEYOND MARCH
31st?
>> NO, SIR.
>> AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THAT MARCH
31st DEADLINE, OUR SPECIAL
OBAMACARE CHECK-UP SERIES
CONTINUES TOMORROW.
CAN OBAMACARE REALLY PROVIDE
COVERAGE FOR ALL AMERICANS?
LET'S BRING IN OUR PANEL TO TALK
ABOUT THIS.
STEVE HAYES, SENIOR WRITER FOR
THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
AB STODDARD, FROM THE HILL, AND
SYNDICATING COLUMNIST CHARLES
KRAUTHAMMER.
YOU SAW THE TIMELINE FROM THE
BEGINNING.
THOUGHTS?
>> YOU GO BACK TO YOU
INTERVIEWING THE PRESIDENT AND
WATCHING HIM AT THE TIME, THERE
WERE ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS YOU
WERE THROWING AT HIM, AND HE
PRETENDED EVERYTHING WAS
EXPLAINABLE.
LOOKING AT IT NOW,
RETROSPECTIVELY KNOWING WHAT WE
KNOW, IT IS CLEAR THAT HIS
RESPONSES WERE DISINFORMATION,
DECEPTION TO SOME EXTENT, AND
DISSIMILATION.
HE KEPT SAYING, WE ALL KNOW
WHAT'S IN THE BILL.
HE KEPT ASSURING PEOPLE THEY
WERE GOING TO KEEP THEIR
DOCTORS, KEEP THEIR INSURANCE,
AND IT IS CLEAR AT THE TIME --
TODAY, THEY KNEW AT THE TIME
THAT WASN'T TRUE.
ESSENTIALLY, THEY PRESENTED IT
AS A WAY TO FILL IN A GAP OF
THOSE UNINSURED, AND IT WAS NOT.
IT WAS A DELIBERATE WAY TO USE
THAT PROBLEM, WHICH IS A REAL
HUMAN PROBLEM, TO REVOLUTIONIZE,
TO REWRITE, TO ESSENTIALLY
NATIONALIZE THROUGH
HYPERREGULATION, THE AMERICAN
MEDICAL SYSTEM, AND WE CAN SEE
THAT IS TRUE IN EVERY ASPECT.
YOU TALK TO ANY DOCTOR, ANY
HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR WILL TELL
YOU HOW THIS IS CHANGING
EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE IN A WAY
THAT IS ENTIRELY UNPREDICTABLE
BUT LOOKS DISASTROUS.
>> AB, HHS IS SAYING 5 MILLION
ENROLLEES AS OF TODAY.
THEY'RE NOT, OBVIOUSLY, TELLING
US THE SAME THINGS THEY HAVEN'T
BEEN TELLING US, WHICH ARE HOW
MANY HAVE PAID AND HOW MANY HAD
INSURANCE BEFORE.
>> RIGHT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INITIAL
ESTIMATE, WHICH THEY NEEDED 7
MILLION.
THEY NEEDED 40% OF THEIR NEW
INSURED TO BE YOUNG AND LESS
RISKY, AS OPPOSED TO THE SICK
AND ELDERLY.
THEY ALSO NEEDED PAYING
CUSTOMERS, AND WE STILL DON'T
KNOW FROM HHS WHETHER OR NOT
ENROLLE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS PAID
AN INSURANCE COMPANY FOR A
POLICY AND THEY'RE INDEED
INSURED.
AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
EFFECT OF ALL THE WAIVERS AND
EXTENSIONS HAVE BEEN.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN
THE LACK OF COMPLIANCE, HOW
THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE
SYSTEM.
A LOT HAS TO GO RIGHT VERY
QUICKLY FOR PRICES TO REMAIN
AFFORDABLE AND INSURANCE
COMPANIES NOT TO RAISE PRIZES
FOR NEXT YEAR.
>> WHEN YOU STAND NEXT TO THAT
BILL AND THEN YOU STAND NEXT TO
THE SEVEN-FOOT-HIGH REGULATIONS
STACK, IT'S PRETTY STARK.
>> IT IS, AND LOOK, WE KNEW THAT
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
PART OF WHAT THE BILL DID WAS
CREATE THIS SHELL INSIDE OF
WHICH ALL OF THESE REGULATIONS
WERE GOING TO BE PROMULGATED.
WE KNEW THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
IT'S NOT A SURPRISE, BUT I AGREE
WITH YOU.
IT'S STARK WHEN YOU ACTUALLY
LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.
LOOK, THE 5 MILLION ENROLLEE
NUMBER IS NONSENSE.
ALL THE PREVIOUS ENROLLEE
NUMBERS HAVE BEEN NONCE SENSE
WHEN YOU CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR HOW
MANY PEOPLE PAID THE PREMIUM,
THOSE NUMBERS BECOME VIRTUALLY
MEANINGLESS.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE ACTUAL ENROLLEES.
I THINK WHEN HISTORIANS GO BACK
AND LOOK AT THIS PERIOD OF THE
SIGN-UPS AND ALL THE
CONTROVERSY, THEY'RE GOING TO GO
BACK AND SAY, IT'S AMAZING THAT
THE MEDIA REPORTED THESE AS
ACTUAL ENROLLMENTS AND WE KNOW
THEY'RE NOT ACTUAL ENROLLMENTS.
ONE FINAL POINT, THE TALK OF
DELAYS.
WHAT STUCK OUT IN THE TIMELINE
THERE IS THE TALK OF DELAYS.
WHEN REPUBLICANS WERE PROPOSING
DELAYS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
MANDATE, IT WAS ANTI-AMERICAN
AND UNPATRIOTIC.
NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE
IT MULTIPLE TIMES, IT'S A SHRUG
OF THE SHOULDERS.
>> THE IRONY IS THAT BY SOME
ESTIMATES FROM THE INSURERS,
ONLY 1 IN 10 OF THE PEOPLE NOW
ENROLLED ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNINSURED.
SO 9 OUT OF 10 HAD INSURANCE,
HAD EVERYTHING DISRUPTED.
SO THE ORIGINAL GOAL OF THIS WAS
TO INSURE THE UNINSURED.
IT'S NOT DOING THAT.
IT'S DISRUPTING ALL THE OTHER
PEOPLE WHO HAD IT.
AND THE SECOND IRONY IS, YOU
LOOK AT THE STACK OF THE PAPERS
AND ALL THE LEGISLATION AND THE
REGULATION.
BUT IN FACT, NOBODY HAS ANY IDEA
WHAT THE LAW IS, BECAUSE IT
CHANGES AT THE WHIM OF THE
PRESIDENT EVERY WEDNESDAY
MORNING.
SO THERE REALLY IS NO BILL THAT
EXISTS IN HIS HEAD.
>> TEN SECONDS HERE, A.B.,
MEANTIME REPUBLICANS ARE STILL
TRYING TO UNIFY AROUND ONE
ALTERNATIVE.
>> THEY CAN'T REALLY COALESCE
BEHIND ONE CONSENSUS PLAN SO
THEY HAVE PUT SOME PRINCIPLES
TOGETHER.
DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S GOING TO BE
A BIG HOUSE VOTE OR SENATE VOTE.
IT'S A WAY TO GO TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AND SAY IF THE SYSTEM
COLLAPSES WE PUT TOGETHER A
RESPONSE AND PLAN TO MAKE
CHANGES NEXT YEAR.