Healthcare pitch seeks to allay fears, rally support for beleaguered plan

[Forkboy]

WASHINGTON - President Obama sought to calm middle-class fears about a major healthcare overhaul last night, telling Americans in a prime-time news conference that people who already have insurance would benefit as much as those who do not.

Obama said that all Americans would gain “more stability and more security’’ from the overhaul and that the legislation is about changing the way medical care is delivered in America, not just about covering the uninsured. He said reforming the system would lower premiums and rein in escalating costs.

“It will prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage if you get too sick,’’ Obama said. “It will give you the security of knowing that if you lose your job, move, or change your job, you will still be able to have coverage. It will limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay for your medical costs out of your own pocket. And it will cover preventive care like check-ups and mammograms that save lives and money.’’

It is economically untenable, he said, to leave intact a healthcare system that is brimming with dysfunctional incentives that are driving the costs of care through the roof. Premiums are already heavily inflated by inefficient care, he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/07/23/obamas_pitch_seeks_to_ease_fears_intensify_pressure_for_healthcare_plan/