English subtitles for clip: File:2009-12-19 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv

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The President:
Over the past few decades,
there has been an intense struggle

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in Washington between the lobbyists
for the insurance industry and

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the interests of the American
people over what's been called

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a Patient's Bill of Rights
-- a set of rules to protect

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Americans from some of the
worst practices of the health

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insurance industry; rules
to ensure that all Americans are

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getting the care they need
from their doctors and the care

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they deserve from
their insurance companies.

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The last time a Patient's Bill
of Rights was within reach was

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roughly a decade ago, and it
was supported by Democrats and

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Republicans alike, from
Ted Kennedy to John McCain.

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It included the right to an
appeals process so you could

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challenge an unfair decision by
an insurance company before a

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third party.

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It included the right to
choose your own doctor.

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It included the right to access
information about what your

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health insurance
plan means for you.

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And it called for a new level
of transparency so that patients

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would know if their doctor had
a conflict of interest when

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providing services.

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Now, this Patient's Bill of
Rights never made it into law.

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It fell victim --
again and again --

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to the same special interest
lobbying that has blocked

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passage of health insurance
reform for so many decades.

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But today, we're being given
another chance to make it a

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reality, because each of
these rights, and many more,

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are incorporated in the health
insurance reform bill that

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recently passed the House of
Representatives and in the bill

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that is currently making
its way through the Senate.

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Both the House and the Senate
bills would make it against

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the law for insurance companies
to deny you coverage on the basis

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of a pre-existing
condition or illness.

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Both would stop insurers from
charging exorbitant premiums on

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the basis of age, health, or gender.

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Both would prevent insurance
companies from dropping your

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coverage when you get sick.

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And both would put a limit on
how much you have to pay out of

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pocket for the treatments you
need in a year or lifetime.

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Simply put, the protections
currently included in both the

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health insurance reform bill
passed by the House and the

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version currently on the Senate
floor would represent the

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toughest measures we've ever
taken to hold the insurance

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industry accountable.

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Anyone who says otherwise
simply hasn't read the bills.

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Just open these proposals at
random and you'll find on almost

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any page patient protections
that dwarf any of those passed

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by Congress in at least a decade.

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These protections are just one
part of a landmark reform that

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will finally reduce the
cost of health care.

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When it becomes law, families
will save on their premiums.

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Small businesses and Americans
who don't get any insurance

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today through their employers
will no longer be forced to pay

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punishingly high
rates to get coverage.

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This legislation will also
strengthen Medicare and extend

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the life of the program, while
saving senior citizens hundreds

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of dollars a year in
prescription costs.

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And reforms to target
waste, inefficiency,

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and price-gouging by the
insurance industry will help

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make this the largest deficit
reduction plan in over a decade.

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The insurance industry
knows all this.

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That's why they're at it again,
using their muscle in Washington

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to try to block a vote that
they know they will lose.

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They're lobbying.

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They're running ads.

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They're spending millions of
dollars to kill health insurance

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reform, just like they've
done so many times before.

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They want to preserve a system
that works better for the

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insurance industry than it
does for the American people.

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But now -- for the first time --
there is a clear majority

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in the Senate that's willing
to stand up to the insurance lobby

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and embrace lasting health insurance reforms
that have eluded us for generations.

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The question is whether the
minority that opposes these

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reforms will continue to use
parliamentary maneuvers to try

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and stop the Senate
from voting on them.

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Whatever their position on
health insurance reform,

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Senators ought to allow
an up or down vote.

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Let's bring this long and
vigorous debate to an end.

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Let's deliver on the promise of
health insurance reforms that

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will make our people healthier,
our economy stronger,

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and our future more secure.

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And as this difficult
year comes to a close,

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let's show the American people
that we are equal to the task of

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meeting our great challenges.

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Thanks for listening, and on
behalf of Michelle, Malia,

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Sasha, and Bo, happy holidays,
from our family to yours.