WASHINGTON — With lawmakers poised to begin a major push to reshape the nation's healthcare system, President Obama on Wednesday signaled new openness to the idea of the government requiring that most Americans get medical insurance -- a position likely to increase momentum behind the drive to create a coverage mandate.
At the same time, the president, who rejected such a mandate during the 2008 campaign, reaffirmed in strong terms his determination to offer a government-run healthcare plan as an alternative to private insurance.
"I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans," Obama said in a two-page letter to Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who are leading efforts to develop healthcare legislation. "This will give them a better range of choices, make the healthcare market more competitive and keep insurance companies honest."
Obama also indicated that he was receptive to a new requirement that large businesses share in the cost of providing health insurance. And he called for at least $200 billion more in cuts to the federal Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs for senior citizens and poor families to pay for expanded coverage. This would be on top of the $300 billion in cuts requested earlier.
The letter, released a day after the president met with two dozen Senate Democrats at the White House to talk about healthcare, came as the White House intensified its effort to build momentum for a major healthcare overhaul this year. Obama has asked Congress to send him a bill by October.
Kennedy and Baucus plan to introduce major healthcare bills over the next several weeks, as do senior House Democrats. At the same time, many Republicans are stepping up their criticism of the initiative, which they assert will increase government control of medicine.
Obama and his chief lieutenants have emphasized the need to control costs in reaction to widespread public anxiety about rising healthcare bills -- as well as concerns among experts about the nation's skyrocketing healthcare tab, which this year will top $2.2 trillion.
"I want to stress that reform cannot mean focusing on expanded coverage alone," Obama wrote. "Indeed, without a serious, sustained effort to reduce the growth rate of healthcare costs, affordable healthcare coverage will remain out of reach."
