President Obama has just concluded giving his remarks Monday to the American Medical Association (AMA) in its annual meeting in Chicago. The President made the trip to explain his plans for health reform. In his remarks, President Obama began by stating that an "essential step" on the journey to American economic prosperity is to control the spiraling cost of health care.

"Today, we are spending over $2 trillion a year on health care -- almost 50 percent more per person than the next most costly nation," the President told the AMA audience. "And yet, for all this spending, more of our citizens are uninsured; the quality of our care is often lower; and we aren't any healthier. In fact, citizens in some countries that spend less than we do are actually living longer than we do."

The President's remarks covered most aspects of the current debate on health care reform in the U.S., including insurance coverage, Medicare costs, and physician choice.

"Make no mistake," the President said. "The cost of our health care is a threat to our economy. It is an escalating burden on our families and businesses. It is a ticking time-bomb for the federal budget. And it is unsustainable for the United States of America."

Acknowledging General Fears of Reform

President Obama gave commendation to the AMA for "doing its part" in working together with other groups to reduce national health care spending. The President acknowledged reform is not inevitable, and the concerns of those who believe "the devil we know is better than the devil we don't." He pointed out the many efforts of past presidents calling for reform, and the failure of different factions of physicians, insurance companies, businesses, workers, and others who could not agree on reform elements, as well as the "fierce opposition" by interest groups and lobbyists that the President says used fear tactics to "paint any effort to achieve reform as an attempt to socialize medicine."

The President then stated his promise for the public that "If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what."

A priority for the President is the switch to electronic records, which he emphasized will lower administrative costs, ease work on physicians, improve quality of care and lessen medical error. Another priority the President discussed was preventive care, including Americans taking responsibility for their own health, and the government investing in prevention and wellness programs.

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