peopleslounge: Checking out http://bit.ly/bq19M

peopleslounge: celebrating the fact that Membership at The People's Lounge reached 1000+ folks yesterday!!!

peopleslounge: Learning that Mr. Obama is going to "step it up" in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He plans to offer more civilian support throughout.

peopleslounge: welcoming to The People's Lounge: USA, Netherlands, Congo, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Uruguay, Jamaica, Cuba, Hungary, Kuwait, Germany and UK.

peopleslounge: Just learned that the mega-monster, GOOGLE will be laying off 200 souls.

peopleslounge: trying to reconcile the notion that the Dem led Congress just passed the largest pork-filled and earmarked spending bill in U.S. history.

peopleslounge: ... listening to a Republican Senator explain why all but 1 Republican, and 11 Dems had all voted against the just passed spending bill.

peopleslounge: ... wondering why anyone in their right minds would seriously consider George W. Bush guilty of war crimes, and/or crimes against humanity.

peopleslounge: just learned that a dentist is suing a family she served for posting a negative review about her on yelp! YIKES!!!

peopleslounge: Just learned that a peanut plant in Georgia is responsible for the recent and serious salmonella outbreak.

Health Insurance Reform vs. Medicare Part D

Opponents of health insurance reform have spent hours on the Senate floor today attacking the Senate's efforts to provide stability and security for those with insurance, affordable coverage for those without, and lower costs for families, small businesses and the government. To provide a little perspective on these attacks, let’s compare today's legislation with the 2003 Medicare Part D effort, which many of these same critics supported:

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Weekly Address: Traveling Abroad for Our Economy at Home

In an address recorded in Seoul, South Korea, the President discusses his trip to Asia. He talks about his push to stop nuclear proliferation in North Korea, Iran, and around the world. He talks about promoting America's principles for an open society in China while making progress on joint efforts to combat climate change. And talks in-depth about the primary objective of his trip: engaging in new markets that hold tremendous potential to spur job creation here at home.

Speaking of Page Numbers...

Since some opponents of reform seem too obsessed with the length of the Senate health insurance reform bill to even bother looking at what's in it for American families, we thought we'd make it a little easier for them to find some key of provisions they're working so hard to kill:

On page 78 you’ll learn that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ends discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. On page 17, it makes preventive care completely free, with no cost-sharing.  (This might be of particular interest to those who have chosen to seize on concerns about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on mammograms to spread baseless myths and advance their own political agenda.) Flipping back to page 16, you’ll find that insurance companies are prohibited from dropping your coverage or watering it down when you get sick and need it most. Also on page 16, you might notice that it puts an end to lifetime caps on coverage. Page 18 is where the bill extends family coverage eligibility for young Americans through the age of 26. On page 83 it requires insurance companies to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full – that means they can’t refuse to renew your coverage just because you get sick. Page 307 is home to tax credits for small businesses to help them afford insurance for their employees. And folks looking to scare our senior citizens about what reform means for them might be interested to check out page 923 and learn that it provides a 50% discount on drugs for seniors in the so-called donut hole.

The 540th Anniversary of the Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

On Friday we hosted a reception commemorating the 540th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first guru in Sikhism.  It was the first time that this holiday has ever been celebrated at the White House.  Members of the Sikh community from around the country were invited to celebrate the occasion with traditional hymns led by the Sikh Kirtani Chanters from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India.  Several administration officials were in attendance, including Dr. John Holdren (Office of Science & Technology Policy), Tina Tchen (Office of Public Engagement), Michael Strautmanis (Chief of Staff to Valerie Jarrett), Adolfo Carrion (Urban Affairs), and Nancy Anne DeParle (Health Reform). 

Representatives from the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, United Sikhs, and other grassroots leaders came together to recognize the important contributions of Sikhs to our national life.  The first Sikhs arrived as laborers in the western United States around 1899 and gradually moved around the country.  They went on to become owners of successful businesses, serve honorably in the U.S. military in both world wars and other conflicts, lawyers, doctors, bankers, and members of many other professions. 

Darron P. Monteiro is the Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement

Prosperity, Peace and Opportunity: The Legacy of American Service in South Korea

In a particularly moving address to troops at Osan Air Base in Osan, South Korea, the President thanked American troops for their continued sacrifice and service, and took the opportunity to a share a short anecdote with the crowd. The story reminded troops of America's great responsibility and privilege to protect freedom and promote democracy around the world, and offered rare historical insight from a longtime ally:

I want to deliver, actually, just a quick story, go a little off script.  President Lee talked to me about what it was like when he was a young child here in Korea, this country having been torn by war, and the poverty that still existed in the country.  And he said, I hope the American people understand how grateful we are for what you've done, because we would not be the extraordinarily strong, prosperous nation that we are, had it not been for the sacrifices of your armed services and the continued contributions that you've made.

And I thought, when the President of a country that's become so successful says that America, and America's armed services in particular, had something to do with the extraordinary success of their country -- he said, that's something you should take great pride in.  And I want all of you to know that, because you are carrying that tradition on right here at Osan.

I couldn't come to the Republic of Korea without coming to see you to deliver a simple message -- a message of thanks to you and your families.  Because of all the privileges of serving as President, I have no greater honor than serving as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military that the world has ever known.  (Applause.)  

Reality Check: The "Rationing" Smear... Again?

When people use arguments they know are bogus, it's probably because they know they don't have any valid arguments at their disposal. So it would seem with opponents of reform in the Senate spending today obsessed with arguments about "rationing" that were debunked months ago.

Their attacks are focused on the fact that the legislation supports research into what treatments work best for patients. Before we go any further, let's just say this as plainly as possible:

Under health insurance reform, this research cannot be used to dictate coverage.

In fact, this objective medical research empowers doctors and patients and helps them fight insurance company decisions to deny treatment and ration care.  Maybe this is why opponents of reform are trying so hard to keep updated medical information out of the hands of our nation's doctors.

What this patient-centered health research does specifically is provide doctors and patients with the best medical information to help them make the best decisions, and it is even written into the law that the Secretary of Health and Human Services cannot deny coverage of a treatment based solely on this research. When you consider that this research is intended only to make sure you get the most effective care, opposition seems outright bizarre, and twisting it into some "rationing" attack seems outright low.

In case anybody wants an objective source on this, the independent watchdog Politifact gave such claims an unambiguous “False” rating back in August. Yes, August:

But in this case, there actually are provisions in the bill about comparative research to make sure it is not used for rationing. Language in the House version of the health bill specifically states: "Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Commission or the Center to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer."

And let's be clear, comparative effectiveness research has been done by the government for years and years. The Obama administration wants to greatly expand the amount of research. The economic stimulus package also included more funding for comparative effectiveness research. And the bill included a similar disclaimer that it would not mandate insurers to cover or reimburse one treatment or medication over another.

Need more?  Politifact had a couple more reliable sources up their sleeve:

AARP, the leading advocate for seniors, has long been a strong supporter of such research.

"It boggles the mind" said AARP spokesman Jim Dau, how comparative effectiveness research has been portrayed by opponents of the health care plan as government rationing of care.

"It's just good common sense," Dau said of the research. "It's giving individuals and doctors better evidence-based research so that they can make better decisions."

Gail Wilensky, who ran the Medicare program under President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s, is another big advocate of comparative effectiveness research. She views it as lobby-free information that can be used to empower patients.

A New York Times editorial out today also touches on one of the recent news hooks opponents of reform are attempting to twist for their own purposes, the bogus links between a recent study on mammograms and health insurance reform (previously debunked here as well). They rightly boil the issue down to this:

The only part of the reform bills that could affect mammography would only make them more accessible.

This could be said of preventive care across the board as well.

Watch, Discuss, Engage at 10:00: Clean Energy Forum on Public Health

At 10:00 AM EST today the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services will host another Clean Energy Economy Forum. A group of stakeholders, business and community leaders will discuss clean energy and climate legislation work, and the benefits towards public health. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will be answering questions, including some taken live from our Facebook chat application.
 

Watch it through WhiteHouse.gov/live Watch, discuss and engage through Facebook

Ben Rhodes on the Ride Home

We sat Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes down on the front couch of Air Force One to get a wrap-up of the trip before landing in Washington, DC.  He may seem a little sleepy and dehydrated, but I can personally attest that he got a decent amount of rest on the way back. He was firmly in the “stay up at first, sleep later” camp for combating jet lag. Maybe we can have him attest to the success or failure of that endeavor tomorrow.

It’s been an honor and a privilege to bring you these video updates on our travels through Asia, and we hope it’s given you a new perspective on what it’s like to travel with President.

You can find more information on the President's trip and on the President's policies in Asia on our Asia page.

Arun Chaundhary is the official White House videographer

Reality Check: Claims That Reform Will Encourage Abortions at School "Sex Clinics" are Absurd

Ed. Note: Opponents of health reform appear to have run out of fresh smears against health insurance reform and have started recycling old debunked attacks. In response to those that brought up this attack that Politifact proved false months ago, we simply bring back this classic Reality Check first published on October 1, 2009.

Last night Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann questioned health insurance reform, raising the spectre of school-based "sex clinics" that would take students to "have their abortion, be back and go home on the school bus that night":

It means that parents will never know what kind of counsel and treatment that their children are receiving.  And as a matter of fact, the bill goes on to say what's going to go on -- comprehensive primary health services, physicals, treatment of minor acute medical conditions, referrals to follow-up for specialty care -- is that abortion? Does that mean that someone's 13 year-old daughter could walk into a sex clinic, have a pregnancy test done, be taken away to the local Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, have their abortion, be back and go home on the school bus that night? Mom and dad are never the wiser.

The absurdity of this claim earns high honors from Politifact, a non-partisan research organization: Pants on Fire!

Critics of the Democratic health care proposal have been increasingly raising concerns that the plan would provide taxpayer-subsidized abortions (a claim we address here). The Liberty Counsel, a conservative group, puts a different twist on that concern, alleging that Page 992 of the bill "will establish school-based 'health' clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!"

The claim comes from a long list of items allegedly in the bill that is posted on the group's Web site and has been widely circulated in a chain e-mail. The list looks a lot like one that we checked in July, based partly on blog postings by Peter Fleckenstein on his blog Common Sense from a Common Man . In fact, the Liberty Counsel says it adapted its memo from Fleckenstein's original work.
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We spoke with Sarah Speller at the Liberty Counsel, who told us that the group had been getting a lot of calls about the memo and that everyone there was very busy as a result. However, she assured us that "as far as our office can tell, everything in the overview is accurate. That's about all I can tell you," she said. "I'm just relaying what I've been told to say."

That's not persuasive. We see no language in the three main versions of the bill that would allow school-based clinics, which have a long history of providing basic health services to underprivileged students, to provide abortions. Nor would the clinics even be new — they have been around for three decades. So we rate the claim Pants on Fire!

Reality Check: Desperately Twisting the CBO Analysis on the Deficit

From the very beginning defenders of the status quo have held up the Congressional Budget Office as the gold standard for judging the impact of health reform legislation on the deficit. Indeed, as recently as two weeks ago, when alternative legislation based on insurance industry proposals was introduced, those opponents of real reform boasted of the CBO's declaration that it would cut the deficit by $68 billion over 10 years.

But that was a long time ago (two weeks ago), and now times have changed. Now that the very same CBO has declared that the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act cuts $130 billion from the deficit, those same defenders of the status quo seem to be saying that the CBO estimate is meaningless.

Their argument claims that because some aspects of the legislation don’t kick in for the first few years, such as the health insurance exchange, the CBO estimate is skewed. Here are the facts:

The suggestion that this bill pays for six years of coverage with ten years of pay-fors is simply false: Even in the six-year period when the exchange is operational (2014-2019) the CBO finds that the bill will reduce the deficit by at least $31 billion. The claim that early surpluses mask later deficits is also untrue: In 2019 alone, the bill reduces the deficit by $8 billion, and in the second decade the CBO finds that the bill will continue to reduce the deficit.   Taking the time necessary to launch the health exchange is responsible policy, not a gimmick. Republicans who supported the Medicare Part D program should remember that it took three years to stand up that program. In the run-up to launching the exchange in 2014, the Senate plan takes several important steps to improve the quality and affordability of care, including investments in: tax credits for small businesses, a high risk pool, reinsurance, and prevention programs and our health care workforce, along with saving seniors thousands on prescription drug costs.

No matter how you try to twist or distort its analysis, the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the Senate Health Bill is a solidly fiscally responsible approach to health reform.