“I am eager and willing to move forward with members of both parties on health care if the other side is serious about coming together to resolve our differences and get this done. But I also believe that we cannot lose the opportunity to meet this challenge,’’ Obama said.
“The tens of millions of men and women who cannot afford their health insurance cannot wait another generation for us to act. Small businesses cannot wait. Americans with preexisting conditions cannot wait. State and federal budgets cannot sustain these rising costs.
“It is time for those of us in Washington to live up to our responsibilities to the American people and to future generations,’’ Obama said.
Obama’s legislation would insure some 30 million more Americans over 10 years with a new requirement for nearly everyone to carry insurance and would end insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with medical problems. Republicans generally oppose mandates that make everyone get insurance, and although they want people with health conditions to be able to buy insurance, they would try to address the problem without new requirements on insurers.
Obama plans to release an updated proposal in the week ahead, probably on Wednesday, according to press secretary Robert Gibbs.
Gibbs suggested it would include concepts put forward by Republicans at the summit. One attendee, Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, was contacted Friday by the White House and asked to submit details of suggestions he made to tackle waste and fraud in the medical system, Coburn’s spokesman said.
John Hart said Coburn views Obama’s legislation as a government takeover and would not be able to support it even if it includes some of his proposals.
Adding Republican ideas is not likely to win Republican votes because the GOP insists Democrats should start from scratch.
