The New Health Dialogue

President Obama talked health reform today with Senate Democrats. Specifically they talked about the urgency of reform and the consequences of inaction. The president followed up that closed door meeting by telling reporters,  “We are on the precipice of an achievement that has eluded Congress and presidents for generations.”

In remarks to reporters, Obama spoke out against continued “misinformation” in the health care debate. He said that health reform is going to make America more financially stable in the future. Because reform will rein in health care costs, he argued, health reform is the largest deficit reduction plan in more than a decade. The president said that health reform will save money for families, businesses and the government. The status quo, in contrast, would mean premiums will go up for American families, more employers will drop employee health coverage because they can’t afford it, and Medicare and Medicaid will blow a hole through our budget.

President Obama didn’t reveal a final deal for health reform legislation. But he did urge Senators to keep working and get to know exactly what is in the bill, saying that there are still disagreements to be ironed in the next few days. “The final bill will not include everything that everybody wants,” said the president., “No bill can do that.”

We don’t know exactly what was said inside the Democratic caucus meeting with the president, but according to Politico, Obama told Senate Dems that this is the “last chance” to pass comprehensive health reform in a good long whille.

On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Vice President Joe Biden gave a similar blunt message. “If health care does not pass in this Congress... it’s going to be kicked back for a generation.”  And White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer told Politico:

If President Obama doesn't pass health reform, it’s hard to imagine another president ever taking on this Herculean task. For those whose life's work is reforming health care, this may be the last train leaving the station.

 Flanked by Senate Democratic leaders, Obama said,

The American people are counting on us to show leadership. I don’t intend to let them down, and neither do the people standing next to me…I am feeling cautiously optimistic that we can get this done…then start rolling up our sleeves and getting to work improving the lives of the American people.