Good morning,

Democrats and Republicans agree -- the health care status quo isn't working for the American people.

Health insurance is growing more and more expensive by the day. Too many of us can't afford it -- not middle class families, not businesses, not the Federal Government. Insurance companies have too much control over health care decisions that should be left between a patient and their doctor. They freely ration care based on who's sick and who's healthy; who can pay and who can't.

On both sides of the aisle, we all agree that if we do nothing, the problem will just get worse.  Now, after a long and wrenching debate, it's time to make a decision. Yesterday, President Obama called on the United States Congress to cast a final up or down vote on health insurance reform in the coming weeks and pledged to fight for it every day until that happens.

Watch what the President said yesterday and learn more about what's at stake:

 

The President's final plan for health insurance reform puts control of health care where it belongs -- in the hands of American families and small businesses, not health insurance companies or government.

His proposal takes the best Republican and Democratic ideas and changes three main things about the current health care system:

1. It ends the worst insurance company practices and outlaws discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
2. It reduces costs for people with insurance and makes coverage more affordable for people without it today.
3. It sets up a new competitive insurance marketplace where small business owners and families can shop for the insurance plan that works best for them, giving them the same buying power and insurance choices as all members of Congress.

We've debated the issue of health insurance reform thoroughly, not just over the past year, but over decades.  It's time to make a decision about how to finally reform health care so that it works for America's families and businesses -- not just for insurance companies.

Let's get it done.

Nancy-Ann DeParle
Director, White House Office of Health Reform

P.S. Today at 3:40 p.m. EST, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and I will be hosting a live chat to answer your questions about the President's proposal. Secretary Sebelius will also tell us about her meeting with health insurance CEOs to demand explanations for their exorbitant premium increases over the past months.