The President made it clear that unless we increase competition, insurers would continue excessive rate increases that make many Americans unable to afford coverage:

Every year, the problem gets worse.  Every year, insurance companies deny more people coverage because they’ve got preexisting conditions.  Every year, they drop more people’s coverage when they get sick right when they need it most.  Every year, they raise premiums higher and higher and higher.  

Just last month, Anthem Blue Cross in California tried to jack up rates by nearly 40 percent — 40 percent.  Anybody’s paycheck gone up 40 percent?

…These insurance companies have made a calculation. The other day, there was a conference call that was organized by Goldman Sachs. [On the call], an insurance broker was telling Wall Street investors how he expected things to be playing out over the next several years, and this broker said that insurance companies know they will lose customers if they keep on raising premiums, but because there’s so little competition in the insurance industry, they’re okay with people being priced out of the insurance market because, first of all, a lot of folks are going to be stuck, and even if some people drop out, they’ll still make more money by raising premiums on customers that they keep.  

And they will keep on doing this for as long as they can get away with it.  This is no secret.  They’re telling their investors this:  We are in the money; we are going to keep on making big profits even though a lot of folks are going to be put under hardship.

The President then asked everyone who supports reform to get involved now, in these next few weeks before a vote:

It’s time to make a decision.  The time for talk is over.  We need to see where people stand.  And we need all of you to help us win that vote.  So I need you to knock on doors.  Talk to your neighbors.  Pick up the phone.  When you hear an argument by the water cooler and somebody is saying this or that about it, say, no, no, no, no, hold on a second.  And we need you to make your voices heard all the way in Washington, D.C.  

They need to hear your voices because right now the Washington echo chamber is in full throttle.  It is as deafening as it’s ever been.  And as we come to that final vote, that echo chamber is telling members of Congress, wait, think about the politics — instead of thinking about doing the right thing.  

… I don’t know how passing health care will play politically, but I do know that it’s the right thing to do.  It’s right for our families.  It’s right for our businesses.  It’s right for the United States of America.  And if you share that belief, I want you to stand with me and fight with me.   And I ask you to help us get us over the finish line these next few weeks.  The need is great.  The opportunity is here.  Let’s seize reform.  It’s within our grasp.

Read the President’s full speech here.

Earlier today, President Obama left Washington to pay a visit to Glenside, Pennsylvania — where he took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and made the case for why we need to pass health reform right now. In front of a crowd of about 1,800, the President highlighted recent news about insurance rate hikes and the health care status quo that helps insurance companies while failing ordinary Americans. He then went on to ask supporters to stand with him in these next few weeks by taking action and making their voices heard in support of reform.

The President made it clear that unless we increase competition, insurers would continue excessive rate increases that make many Americans unable to afford coverage:

Every year, the problem gets worse.  Every year, insurance companies deny more people coverage because they’ve got preexisting conditions.  Every year, they drop more people’s coverage when they get sick right when they need it most.  Every year, they raise premiums higher and higher and higher.  

Just last month, Anthem Blue Cross in California tried to jack up rates by nearly 40 percent — 40 percent.  Anybody’s paycheck gone up 40 percent?

…These insurance companies have made a calculation. The other day, there was a conference call that was organized by Goldman Sachs. [On the call], an insurance broker was telling Wall Street investors how he expected things to be playing out over the next several years, and this broker said that insurance companies know they will lose customers if they keep on raising premiums, but because there’s so little competition in the insurance industry, they’re okay with people being priced out of the insurance market because, first of all, a lot of folks are going to be stuck, and even if some people drop out, they’ll still make more money by raising premiums on customers that they keep.  

And they will keep on doing this for as long as they can get away with it.  This is no secret.  They’re telling their investors this:  We are in the money; we are going to keep on making big profits even though a lot of folks are going to be put under hardship.

The President then asked everyone who supports reform to get involved now, in these next few weeks before a vote:

It’s time to make a decision.  The time for talk is over.  We need to see where people stand.  And we need all of you to help us win that vote.  So I need you to knock on doors.  Talk to your neighbors.  Pick up the phone.  When you hear an argument by the water cooler and somebody is saying this or that about it, say, no, no, no, no, hold on a second.  And we need you to make your voices heard all the way in Washington, D.C.  

They need to hear your voices because right now the Washington echo chamber is in full throttle.  It is as deafening as it’s ever been.  And as we come to that final vote, that echo chamber is telling members of Congress, wait, think about the politics — instead of thinking about doing the right thing.  

… I don’t know how passing health care will play politically, but I do know that it’s the right thing to do.  It’s right for our families.  It’s right for our businesses.  It’s right for the United States of America.  And if you share that belief, I want you to stand with me and fight with me.   And I ask you to help us get us over the finish line these next few weeks.  The need is great.  The opportunity is here.  Let’s seize reform.  It’s within our grasp.

Read the President’s full speech here.

Source

At 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time this morning, President Obama will speak on health insurance reform in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Before the event begins, take a second to check out a new blog post from White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, about more recent evidence that failure to pass reform is helping insurance companies while harming families and consumers:

The last few days have brought even more evidence that the health care status quo is working out great for the insurance companies – at the same time as it continues to fail American families and businesses. No wonder the insurance companies are spending millions and millions of dollars to block reform.

On Wednesday, a leading insurance broker laid out in clear terms what many Americans could already guess: the insurers’ monopoly is so strong that they can continue to jack up rates as much as they like – even if it means losing customers – and their profits will continue to soar under the status quo.

Read more here.

UPDATED: The event has now ended. Check back later today for highlights.

At 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time this morning, President Obama will speak on health insurance reform in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Before the event begins, take a second to check out a new blog post from White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, about more recent evidence that failure to pass reform is helping insurance companies while harming families and consumers:

The last few days have brought even more evidence that the health care status quo is working out great for the insurance companies – at the same time as it continues to fail American families and businesses. No wonder the insurance companies are spending millions and millions of dollars to block reform.

On Wednesday, a leading insurance broker laid out in clear terms what many Americans could already guess: the insurers’ monopoly is so strong that they can continue to jack up rates as much as they like – even if it means losing customers – and their profits will continue to soar under the status quo.

Read more here.

Source

LUVS!

Squee!

We see you Desiree Rogers. Never let them see you sweat!

This is Gina. Do we love our First Lady Michelle Obama or what? Today was International Women’s Day and the White House is holding an event. We’ll have more here on that later. I’ll let Aminah tell y’all. But let us all pause now for FLUFF. Yes, FLUFF Here are some photos of First Lady Michelle Obama with her sweetie. AAAAH. SQUEEEE!

LUVS!

Squee!

We see you Desiree Rogers. Never let them see you sweat!

Source

First Lady Michelle Obama will be donating her inaugural gown to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; it was announced today by the First Lady’s office.

The white, one shoulder silk chiffon Jason Wu dress will join the ranks at the American History museum in Washington, D.C. of other First Lady’s famous dresses –Jackie Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Helen Taft, among others. Mrs. Obama’s shoes and jewelry will also be on display.

This will be an amazing addition to the existing FLOTUS collection at the Smithsonian. I’m sure the lines will be long to view this exibit, as they were this summer when I took my children. Read more about the exhibit. Posted by Bridgette.

Sunlen Miller and Yunji de Nies of ABCNews report that Michelle Obama’s Inaugrual gown will be headed to the Smithsonian.

First Lady Michelle Obama will be donating her inaugural gown to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; it was announced today by the First Lady’s office.

The white, one shoulder silk chiffon Jason Wu dress will join the ranks at the American History museum in Washington, D.C. of other First Lady’s famous dresses –Jackie Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Helen Taft, among others. Mrs. Obama’s shoes and jewelry will also be on display.

This will be an amazing addition to the existing FLOTUS collection at the Smithsonian. I’m sure the lines will be long to view this exibit, as they were this summer when I took my children. Read more about the exhibit. Posted by Bridgette.

Source

On this day, 45 years ago, hundreds of brave men and women gathered in the small town of Selma, Alabama to announce to the world that they, too, sang America. As they marched from Selma to Montgomery, fully aware of the danger that lay ahead, these heroes let their feet speak in a way that their voices alone could not.

Today, as we gather in this hallowed place on the anniversary of what would come to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” let us honor the memory of all those who were shoved and beaten within an inch of their lives because they believed in the simple truth that every American – regardless of race – had the right to cast a vote; had the right to live free; had the right to reach for their dreams.

It would take the marchers three tries to make it to Montgomery in March of 1965 – and even longer to secure the rights they fought so hard for. Along the way, leaders were born – men like John Lewis, who endured taunts and beatings with the same quiet grace and dignity and determination that so many of us admire today. For Congressman Lewis and so many like him, no sacrifice was too great to make in freedom’s cause.

The Movement also had a partner in the White House – a President who declared “we shall overcome,” and who understood that our nation could not move forward as long as any of its citizens were held back. President Johnson helped deliver on that promise by signing the Voting Rights Act in August of that year – a law that aligned this nation more closely with its founding ideals of justice and equality for all.

Today, we stand on the shoulders of all the Moses Generation that made the Voting Rights Act possible, that made the Civil Rights Act possible, that made the civil rights movement possible. Yet with all of the progress that has been made since that terrible day in Selma, we also know that there is still much work to be done, by us – the Joshua generation.

Since taking office, I have never forgotten that responsibility. That’s why the first bill I signed as President helped ensure that never again will someone be forced to do the same work for less pay simply because of their gender. That’s why we continue to give the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Holder, the tools to protect voting rights and defend fair practices across our nation. And that’s why last month, we sought final resolution with the nation’s black farmers who had suffered indignation for years because of the misguided actions of their government.

But we must also remember that the mission at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement was never simply about obtaining the right to sit at a lunch counter or ride on a bus. It was about giving Americans of every race, faith, and station, the right to fulfill their God-given potential. That’s why we are making unprecedented investments in the education of our children; in guaranteeing quality, affordable health care for every American; and in working to create good, well-paying jobs that will help build the economy of the 21st century.

So let us honor the men and women who marched into history so many years ago – both those who are with us today, and those who long ago gave their lives to perfect our union. Let us remember their courage in the face of danger, and recommit ourselves to the journey ahead. Because I am confident that if we stand together in the Joshua Generation as the Moses Generation did before us – then, in the words of a song we know so well, we will face the rising sun of a new day begun.

To mark today’s 45th anniversary of the civil right march in Selma, Alabama—known as "Bloody Sunday"—President Obama released the following statement:

On this day, 45 years ago, hundreds of brave men and women gathered in the small town of Selma, Alabama to announce to the world that they, too, sang America. As they marched from Selma to Montgomery, fully aware of the danger that lay ahead, these heroes let their feet speak in a way that their voices alone could not.

Today, as we gather in this hallowed place on the anniversary of what would come to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” let us honor the memory of all those who were shoved and beaten within an inch of their lives because they believed in the simple truth that every American – regardless of race – had the right to cast a vote; had the right to live free; had the right to reach for their dreams.

It would take the marchers three tries to make it to Montgomery in March of 1965 – and even longer to secure the rights they fought so hard for. Along the way, leaders were born – men like John Lewis, who endured taunts and beatings with the same quiet grace and dignity and determination that so many of us admire today. For Congressman Lewis and so many like him, no sacrifice was too great to make in freedom’s cause.

The Movement also had a partner in the White House – a President who declared “we shall overcome,” and who understood that our nation could not move forward as long as any of its citizens were held back. President Johnson helped deliver on that promise by signing the Voting Rights Act in August of that year – a law that aligned this nation more closely with its founding ideals of justice and equality for all.

Today, we stand on the shoulders of all the Moses Generation that made the Voting Rights Act possible, that made the Civil Rights Act possible, that made the civil rights movement possible. Yet with all of the progress that has been made since that terrible day in Selma, we also know that there is still much work to be done, by us – the Joshua generation.

Since taking office, I have never forgotten that responsibility. That’s why the first bill I signed as President helped ensure that never again will someone be forced to do the same work for less pay simply because of their gender. That’s why we continue to give the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Holder, the tools to protect voting rights and defend fair practices across our nation. And that’s why last month, we sought final resolution with the nation’s black farmers who had suffered indignation for years because of the misguided actions of their government.

But we must also remember that the mission at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement was never simply about obtaining the right to sit at a lunch counter or ride on a bus. It was about giving Americans of every race, faith, and station, the right to fulfill their God-given potential. That’s why we are making unprecedented investments in the education of our children; in guaranteeing quality, affordable health care for every American; and in working to create good, well-paying jobs that will help build the economy of the 21st century.

So let us honor the men and women who marched into history so many years ago – both those who are with us today, and those who long ago gave their lives to perfect our union. Let us remember their courage in the face of danger, and recommit ourselves to the journey ahead. Because I am confident that if we stand together in the Joshua Generation as the Moses Generation did before us – then, in the words of a song we know so well, we will face the rising sun of a new day begun.

Source

Despite all the progress and improvements we’ve made, Republicans in Congress insist that the only acceptable course on health care is to start over. But you know what? The insurance companies aren’t starting over. I just met with some of them on Thursday and they couldn’t give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums – by as much as 60% in states like Illinois. If we do not act, they will continue to do this. They will continue to drop people’s coverage when they need it. They will continue to refuse coverage based on pre-existing conditions. These practices will continue.

That’s why we must act now. That’s why the United States Congress owes the American people an up-or-down vote on health insurance reform. 

…I know it has been a long and hard road to this point. And we are not finished with our journey just yet. But we are close. We are very close. And so I ask Congress to finish its work. I ask them to give the American people an up or down vote. And let’s show our citizens that it’s still possible for Washington to look out for their interests and their future.

Despite all the progress and improvements we’ve made, Republicans in Congress insist that the only acceptable course on health care is to start over. But you know what? The insurance companies aren’t starting over. I just met with some of them on Thursday and they couldn’t give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums – by as much as 60% in states like Illinois. If we do not act, they will continue to do this. They will continue to drop people’s coverage when they need it. They will continue to refuse coverage based on pre-existing conditions. These practices will continue.

That’s why we must act now. That’s why the United States Congress owes the American people an up-or-down vote on health insurance reform. 

…I know it has been a long and hard road to this point. And we are not finished with our journey just yet. But we are close. We are very close. And so I ask Congress to finish its work. I ask them to give the American people an up or down vote. And let’s show our citizens that it’s still possible for Washington to look out for their interests and their future.

Source

After highlighting his broader agenda to create jobs and provide relief to out-of-work Americans, President Obama laid out his plans for clean energy job creation:

The jobs of tomorrow will be jobs in the clean energy sector, and this company is a great emblem for that.  That’s why my administration is taking steps to support a thriving clean energy industry across this country — an industry that’s making solar panels, and building wind turbines, producing cutting-edge batteries for fuel-efficient cars and trucks, and helping consumers get more control over their energy bills.

And that’s also why earlier this week I urged Congress to enact a new initiative we’re calling Homestar that would offer homeowners rebates for making their homes more energy-efficient — rebates worth up to ,500 for individual home upgrades and up to ,000 for retrofitting their entire home.  So if they’re getting this good information from OPOWER and they see that, boy, that drafty window is costing me a couple of hundred bucks a year, they’re now going to have an incentive to go to Home Depots or go to Lowes to hire a certified contractor and make the changes that will ultimately pay for themselves, improve our environment, and improve our economy.

Read the President’s full remarks here.

This morning, President Obama stopped by a small energy efficiency business in Virginia and delivered remarks on creating clean energy jobs.

After highlighting his broader agenda to create jobs and provide relief to out-of-work Americans, President Obama laid out his plans for clean energy job creation:

The jobs of tomorrow will be jobs in the clean energy sector, and this company is a great emblem for that.  That’s why my administration is taking steps to support a thriving clean energy industry across this country — an industry that’s making solar panels, and building wind turbines, producing cutting-edge batteries for fuel-efficient cars and trucks, and helping consumers get more control over their energy bills.

And that’s also why earlier this week I urged Congress to enact a new initiative we’re calling Homestar that would offer homeowners rebates for making their homes more energy-efficient — rebates worth up to ,500 for individual home upgrades and up to ,000 for retrofitting their entire home.  So if they’re getting this good information from OPOWER and they see that, boy, that drafty window is costing me a couple of hundred bucks a year, they’re now going to have an incentive to go to Home Depots or go to Lowes to hire a certified contractor and make the changes that will ultimately pay for themselves, improve our environment, and improve our economy.

Read the President’s full remarks here.

Source

Despite Senator Bunning’s attempt to block the bill, on Tuesday Senate Democrats successfully overcame his obstruction and passed the temporary unemployment insurance extension, which the President signed into law later that night.

But even after the bill was passed, assistance for around 100,000 folks was delayed.

The Christian Science Monitor reports:

The passage and enactment of the legislation means that state agencies can begin sending checks to thousands of unemployed Americans who were in danger of losing their benefit if Congress did not act.

Groups involved with unemployment issues believe passage of the extension may have allowed some states enough time to cut checks for those who are already eligible to receive the extended benefits. However, almost half of the 200,000 people per week affected by the extension are filing for the first time.

“Those are the ones we are worried about not getting their checks this week,” says Andrew Stettner of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), which advocates for the unemployed. “We know there will be delays.”

As hundreds of thousands of American continue to look for work, President Obama has made job creation his top priority this year. In an op-ed, Paul Krugman explains how unemployment assistance helps individuals looking for work while at the same time fostering jobs and boosting the economy:

Take the question of helping the unemployed in the middle of a deep slump. What Democrats believe is what textbook economics says: that when the economy is deeply depressed, extending unemployment benefits not only helps those in need, it also reduces unemployment. That’s because the economy’s problem right now is lack of sufficient demand, and cash-strapped unemployed workers are likely to spend their benefits. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office says that aid to the unemployed is one of the most effective forms of economic stimulus, as measured by jobs created per dollar of outlay.

Next week, the Senate will consider a one-year extension of unemployment benefits.

Earlier this week, one Republican senator single-handedly blocked a number of critical priorities for those hit hardest by today’s recession. Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky jeopardized temporary unemployment assistance for hundreds of thousands, COBRA health insurance, Department of Transportation jobs, and pay for doctors who care for seniors and veterans. This was an example of partisan politics at its worst — and one of the reasons President Obama was elected to change the ways of Washington.

Despite Senator Bunning’s attempt to block the bill, on Tuesday Senate Democrats successfully overcame his obstruction and passed the temporary unemployment insurance extension, which the President signed into law later that night.

But even after the bill was passed, assistance for around 100,000 folks was delayed.

The Christian Science Monitor reports:

The passage and enactment of the legislation means that state agencies can begin sending checks to thousands of unemployed Americans who were in danger of losing their benefit if Congress did not act.

Groups involved with unemployment issues believe passage of the extension may have allowed some states enough time to cut checks for those who are already eligible to receive the extended benefits. However, almost half of the 200,000 people per week affected by the extension are filing for the first time.

“Those are the ones we are worried about not getting their checks this week,” says Andrew Stettner of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), which advocates for the unemployed. “We know there will be delays.”

As hundreds of thousands of American continue to look for work, President Obama has made job creation his top priority this year. In an op-ed, Paul Krugman explains how unemployment assistance helps individuals looking for work while at the same time fostering jobs and boosting the economy:

Take the question of helping the unemployed in the middle of a deep slump. What Democrats believe is what textbook economics says: that when the economy is deeply depressed, extending unemployment benefits not only helps those in need, it also reduces unemployment. That’s because the economy’s problem right now is lack of sufficient demand, and cash-strapped unemployed workers are likely to spend their benefits. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office says that aid to the unemployed is one of the most effective forms of economic stimulus, as measured by jobs created per dollar of outlay.

Next week, the Senate will consider a one-year extension of unemployment benefits.

Source

– First Lady Michelle Obama runs in a race as she promotes the “Let’s Move” program during an event with local kids and the U.S. Soccer Foundation at City Center in Washington, D.C., March 5, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

Hey folks, this is Gina. AAAAAAH! I Played soccer as a wee lass. I was a fullback or “defender.” And yes, I was a fat child who played soccer for those that were wondering. I’m all for exercise and movement. I was having a really crappy end to a so so day and these photos just made me smile and y’all know I ain’t the biggest fan of the whole war on fat children thing, but I can’t knock the kiddies playing soccer with the First Lady of the United States. I guess she really did mean it when she said “Let’s Move.” These kids will remember this for the rest of their lives.

First Lady Michelle Obama joined  the US Soccer Foundation, Major League Soccer, Women’s Professional Soccer, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and others at a soccer clinic in Washington DC to highlight the Let’s Move! campaign and the importance of children getting 60 minutes of active play each day.  This event will build on Major League Soccer’s support of Let’s Move! by expanding outreach and participation in youth soccer and education efforts on the importance of eating well and staying active.  Soccer is the number one sport among America’s youth, with 4 million young boys and girls registered to play across the country.  Since its creation in 1994, the US Soccer Foundation, which is the major philanthropic arm of US Soccer, has funded more than 489 youth programs and helped build more than 1,200 soccer fields.

– First Lady Michelle Obama runs in a race as she promotes the “Let’s Move” program during an event with local kids and the U.S. Soccer Foundation at City Center in Washington, D.C., March 5, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

Hey folks, this is Gina. AAAAAAH! I Played soccer as a wee lass. I was a fullback or “defender.” And yes, I was a fat child who played soccer for those that were wondering. I’m all for exercise and movement. I was having a really crappy end to a so so day and these photos just made me smile and y’all know I ain’t the biggest fan of the whole war on fat children thing, but I can’t knock the kiddies playing soccer with the First Lady of the United States. I guess she really did mean it when she said “Let’s Move.” These kids will remember this for the rest of their lives.

First Lady Michelle Obama joined  the US Soccer Foundation, Major League Soccer, Women’s Professional Soccer, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and others at a soccer clinic in Washington DC to highlight the Let’s Move! campaign and the importance of children getting 60 minutes of active play each day.  This event will build on Major League Soccer’s support of Let’s Move! by expanding outreach and participation in youth soccer and education efforts on the importance of eating well and staying active.  Soccer is the number one sport among America’s youth, with 4 million young boys and girls registered to play across the country.  Since its creation in 1994, the US Soccer Foundation, which is the major philanthropic arm of US Soccer, has funded more than 489 youth programs and helped build more than 1,200 soccer fields.

Source

Earlier today, President Obama stopped by a meeting with CEOs of the nation’s largest health insurance companies, and asked them to justify their exorbitant insurance rate increases. Following recent news of Anthem Blue Cross of California raising rates by as much as 39 percent, the President has made reining in these rate increases a key part of his health reform plan.

At today’s meeting, the President brought a letter he received from Natoma Canfield of Medina, Ohio, which he read to the insurance executives to highlight what’s at stake in this debate:

"Dear President Obama, I am 50 years old.  I was diagnosed with carcinoma 16 years ago, and following my divorce 12 years ago I became self-employed.  After my COBRA benefits ran out, I was able to find costly but affordable health insurance.  As a responsible individual, I’ve struggled to maintain my individual coverage and have increased my deductible and out-of-pocket limits in an attempt to control my costs and keep my health insurance.

"Last year, 2009, my insurance premium was increased over 25 percent, even though I increased my deductible and out-of-pocket to the highest limits available.  I paid out over ,075.24 in premiums, ,415.26 for medical care, 5 in co-pays, and ,500 for prescriptions.  I never reached my deductible of ,500, so the insurance company only paid out a total of 5.32 to my providers.

"I must repeat, in 2009, my insurance company received ,075.24 in premiums and paid out only 5.32.  Incredibly, I have been notified that my premium for the next year — for next year, 2010, has been increased over 40 percent to ,496.24.  This is the same insurance company I’ve been with for over 11 cancer-free years.

"I need your health reform bill to help me.  I simply can no longer afford to pay for my health care costs.  Thanks to this incredible premium increase demanded by my insurance company, January will be my last month of insurance.

"I live in the house my mother and father built in 1958, and I am so afraid of the possibility I might lost this family heirloom as a result of being forced to drop my health care insurance."

Earlier today, President Obama stopped by a meeting with CEOs of the nation’s largest health insurance companies, and asked them to justify their exorbitant insurance rate increases. Following recent news of Anthem Blue Cross of California raising rates by as much as 39 percent, the President has made reining in these rate increases a key part of his health reform plan.

At today’s meeting, the President brought a letter he received from Natoma Canfield of Medina, Ohio, which he read to the insurance executives to highlight what’s at stake in this debate:

"Dear President Obama, I am 50 years old.  I was diagnosed with carcinoma 16 years ago, and following my divorce 12 years ago I became self-employed.  After my COBRA benefits ran out, I was able to find costly but affordable health insurance.  As a responsible individual, I’ve struggled to maintain my individual coverage and have increased my deductible and out-of-pocket limits in an attempt to control my costs and keep my health insurance.

"Last year, 2009, my insurance premium was increased over 25 percent, even though I increased my deductible and out-of-pocket to the highest limits available.  I paid out over ,075.24 in premiums, ,415.26 for medical care, 5 in co-pays, and ,500 for prescriptions.  I never reached my deductible of ,500, so the insurance company only paid out a total of 5.32 to my providers.

"I must repeat, in 2009, my insurance company received ,075.24 in premiums and paid out only 5.32.  Incredibly, I have been notified that my premium for the next year — for next year, 2010, has been increased over 40 percent to ,496.24.  This is the same insurance company I’ve been with for over 11 cancer-free years.

"I need your health reform bill to help me.  I simply can no longer afford to pay for my health care costs.  Thanks to this incredible premium increase demanded by my insurance company, January will be my last month of insurance.

"I live in the house my mother and father built in 1958, and I am so afraid of the possibility I might lost this family heirloom as a result of being forced to drop my health care insurance."

Source