Obama Hails AARP, AMA Support for House Health Bill 2 Days Before Vote

Talk about interesting contrasts. As Rep. Michele Bachmann's "freedom-loving Americans" swarmed Capitol Hill to wield verbal pitchforks against health reform, the House bill slated for a vote Saturday evening picked up support from organizations whose members will be deeply affected by it. President Obama hailed the news as a sign of growing momentum for reform.

Seniors have been among the most worried about what exactly Congress has in mind for them and for Medicare. But AARP, the leading advocacy group for people over 50, on Thursday endorsed the House bill. The nonpartisan group's CEO, Barry Rand, said the legislation achieves many of AARP's goals and priorities. "We urge members to pass this critical bill this year," he said at a press conference. "We will fight with the strength of our nearly 40 million members to get this done."

Within the hour, the president of the American Medical Association, Dr. James Rohack, announced his group had decided to "support the principles" of the House bill. It is not "a perfect representation of the AMA's view, but it's consistent enough with our goals to warrant support to keep the process moving," he said on a call with reporters. He said that is not the same as an endorsement and that the doctors group continues to work with House members to improve the bill.

Obama made a surprise appearance in the White House press briefing room to highlight the new developments. "Now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer" to reform, he said.

Given the efficiencies and cost savings proposed for Medicare and the apprehensions that has raised among older Americans, the AARP endorsement was particularly significant. Obama said the group is committed to expanding health care for seniors and its board members took a position on the bill only after careful study. "They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it. They know it will protect the benefits our seniors receive, not cut them," he said.

The president added that people should remember the AARP endorsement "the next time you hear the same tired arguments to the contrary from the insurance companies and their lobbyists. And remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television."

The AMA support came with a catch. Rohack said the main reform bill must be passed as a package with a separate bill to fix a chronic shortfall in Medicare reimbursements to doctors. Asked how Congress should offset the $250 billion cost, he said the fix "should not be subjected" to such concerns. "Congress created the problem and Congress needs to fix it," he said. He declined to say whether the AMA would withdraw support for the main reform bill if the "doc fix" isn't passed.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network also on Thursday urged passage of the House bill. CEO John Sefrin called it "an exceptional opportunity to advance our mission of reducing suffering and death related to cancer."

The groups praised various provisions that expand coverage to 96 percent of citizens, emphasize prevention and wellness, end insurance company discrimination against people who are older or who have pre-existing medical conditions, authorize the federal government to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, fill in the "doughnut hole" that requires seniors to pay for some Medicare prescriptions, and offer incentives for more primary care doctors and better-coordinated care.

House leaders have scheduled a floor vote on the bill for Saturday evening and say they will have the 218 votes needed for passage. Two "yes"" votes showed up just in time. Democratic Rep. John Garamendi was sworn in Thursday as the new congressman from the northern California seat vacated by Ellen Tauscher, now a State Department official. Democrat Bill Owens, the surprise winner of the wacky race to succeed Republican John McHugh in New York's 23rd Congressional District, is set to be sworn in on Friday. (McHugh is now secretary of the Army). Click here to read Patricia Murphy's report on the big welcome House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave her two new members.

The Senate is waiting for an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office before taking up its version of health reform. Assuming it passes, negotiators from each chamber will work out a final bill in a conference committee.