Full Text & Commentary of Pres. Obama's Speech to the AMA

President Obama reiterated his commitment to health care reform in front of the American Medical Association this afternoon, saying:

"health care reform is the single most important thing we can do for America's long-term fiscal health."

President Obama touched on many topics, including electronic medical records, medical liability reform and a focus on preventive care. Whatever reforms are eventually put into place, Obama stated:

"no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: 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. My view is that health care reform should be guided by a simple principle: fix what's broken and build on what works."

For more information:

Full Text of President Obama's Speech - Chicago Tribune

Video of President Obama's Speech - C-Span

Roundup of the latest commentary on President Obama's Speech:

AMA's Press Conference Response - Wall Street Journal Health Care Blog

Audio of AMA's Press Conference - C-Span

Obama Tries to Woo Doctors on Health Care - Helene Cooper, The New York Times

Health-Care’s Fate May Be Shaped by Party Elders - Albert Hunt, Bloomberg

Naive, Hypocritical and Dishonest - Robert Samuelson, Real Clear Politics

Repeat the Question - Stanley B. Greenberg, The New Republic

Alternatives to Government Health Takeover - Gov. Mark Sanford and Dr. Scott W. Atlas, The Washington Times

Obama Wants to 'Explore' Malpractice Reform - Sam Youngman, The Hill

SFC Releases Policy Options

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D‐Mont.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R‐Iowa) today released policy options for expanding health care coverage to the 46 million Americans who are currently uninsured.

The policy options released today aim to reform the individual and small group health insurance markets to end discrimination against sicker individuals. They would instead create a competitive insurance market where health plans compete on price and quality rather than the ability to segment risk and discriminate against individuals with pre‐existing health conditions. The options also include an expansion of public health insurance programs to cover the poorest Americans and make coverage more affordable by providing tax credits to low income individuals and small businesses. The policy options make purchasing coverage easier and more understandable for all consumers.

For the complete report click here

Public Comments should be directed to: Health_Reform@finance‐dem.senate.gov

KFF Finds Health Top Priority to Americans

A new survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that Americans rank finding affordable health insurance options as a top priority for the new administration, only behind helping businesses keep or create new jobs.

To read more, click here.