Pres. Bill Clinton Urges Medical Community to Support Health Care Reform

Strategic Insights -

Pres. Bill Clinton held a meeting with medical educators from across the US to emphasize the need for health care reform. He stressed the importance of providing affordable health insurance to the millions of Americans without it and urged the medical community to lobby for the passage of health care reform bills with their local Congressmen. Clinton highlighted the financial burdens on America's health care system and the need to preserve its gains and benefits by fixing what is wrong with it.

Key Takeaways:

  • Clinton emphasized the central issue in the health care debate is providing health care to all Americans while preserving the best aspects of the current system.
  • He noted that the only way to preserve the health care system is to fix what is wrong with it, including providing basic, decent coverage to all Americans.
  • The President pointed out that the current system is facing incredible financial pressures, making it difficult to provide care for those in need and training the world's finest physicians and health care professionals.
  • Clinton criticized the idea that providing a basic benefit package with primary and preventive health care is rationing, highlighting the reality of 39 million Americans without health insurance and 58 million who lack insurance at some point during the year.
  • He appealed to the medical community to commit to making personal contacts with Congressmen to put politics aside and put the health care of Americans first.
  • Clinton emphasized that if the medical community can speak to the facts and the financial reality of the issue, a health care bill covering all Americans can be passed with bipartisan support.

Statistics:

  • 39 million Americans without health insurance.
  • 58 million Americans without health insurance at some point during the year.
  • 81 million Americans living in families with preexisting conditions.
  • 12:22 p.m. - the time Pres. Clinton spoke at the White House.

Sources:

  • Statement by the President, June 27, 1994.
  • Speech by Pres. Bill Clinton at a meeting with medical educators, White House, East Boom, June 27, 1994.