海角大神

The Obamas have left Washington for some R&R, but the battle over health reform rages on.

In his , recorded before leaving town, President Obama slammed his opponents Saturday for spreading what he called 鈥渨illful misrepresentations and outright distortions鈥� over his plans for comprehensive reform of the healthcare system.

Rep. Tom Price (R) of Georgia, , slammed what he called 鈥渢he Democrats鈥� government-run health plan.鈥� His line of argument was buttressed on the ground around the country on Saturday, as the antitax 鈥渢ea party鈥� movement held anti-鈥�Obamacare鈥� rallies.

Obama devoted his radio remarks to 鈥渄ebunking some of the most outrageous myths鈥� circulating about what the Democratic reforms would do:

鈥� That illegal immigrants will get health insurance under reform. 鈥淭hat idea has never even been on the table,鈥� Obama said.

鈥� That reform will produce a government takeover of healthcare. He attributed this accusation to confusion over the so-called 鈥減ublic option,鈥� a proposal for a government-run health insurance plan that would compete with private plans. 鈥淚t would just be an option; those who prefer their private insurer would be under no obligation to shift to a public plan,鈥� Obama said.

鈥� That coverage for abortion would be mandated under reform. That is false, although Obama did not venture into the territory of whether women receive federally subsidized insurance could sign onto a health plan that covers abortion.

鈥� That 鈥渄eath panels鈥� will be formed to decide who receives treatment. Obama called this 鈥渁n offensive notion to me and the American people.鈥�

Obama also talked about what reform would do, such as provide affordable insurance to those who don鈥檛 have it, ban 鈥渦nfair practices鈥� by insurers, such as denying coverage for preexisting conditions, and place more emphasis on routine and preventive care.

Representative Price, who was a practicing physician before entering Congress, disputed the notion that Republicans are fighting to preserve the status quo.

He called the nation鈥檚 current healthcare system 鈥渃learly unacceptable.鈥� The challenge, he said, 鈥渋s providing Americans more accessible and affordable care without impairing the quality, innovation, and choices that define American medicine.鈥�

鈥淎nd this is simply impossible with the one-size-fits-all approach taken by the president and Democrats in charge of Congress,鈥� he said.

Price added that Republicans 鈥渉ave plans to increase coverage and lower costs without putting a bureaucrat between you and your doctor,鈥� but he did not provide details. Instead, he focused on aspects of Obama鈥檚 message on health reform that he says aren鈥檛 true.

鈥淥n the stump, the President regularly tells Americans that 鈥榠f you like your plan, you can keep your plan.鈥� But if you read the bill, that just isn鈥檛 so,鈥� Price said. 鈥淔or starters, within five years, every healthcare plan will have to meet a new federal definition for coverage -- one that your current plan might not match, even if you like it."

Price continued: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 more, experts agree that under the House bill, millions of Americans will be forced off their personal, private coverage and shuffled onto the government plan.鈥�

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