Reaching Across the Aisle for Health Care Reform (April 2009)

Knowing of your interest in health care issues, I wanted to let you know that this week I met with Nancy-Ann DeParle, who was recently appointed by President Obama to serve as director of the new White House Office of Health Reform. During our meeting, we discussed the prospects for bipartisan action on reforming America's health care system and the importance of ensuring that people who like the health coverage they have can keep it. I expressed my concern that this principle would be violated if Congress creates a new government-run health plan. Because government programs like Medi-Cal pay below the cost of services, doctors and hospitals are forced to charge higher prices to the 18 million Californians who get health coverage from their employers. A significant expansion of government health programs would worsen this cost-shifting problem, making it unaffordable for many of those employers to continue offering coverage. I'm encouraged that President Obama has expressed openness to alternative ways of expanding health coverage. I also shared with Ms. DeParle my hope that Democrats and Republicans can work together on some of the goals we all agree on, such as making our health care system focus more on prevention and coordination of care, and improving access to affordable coverage for people with pre-existing health conditions.