President Obama Holds Town Hall Meeting in Montana to Discuss Health Care Reform
President Barack Obama brought his town hall tour to Montana on Friday, talking about health care reform in a state where residents pride themselves on their independence and many are skeptical of new government programs.
The president and his family were greeted at Gallatin Field Airport by Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer, and U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Max Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and is a primary power broker in the Senate’s health care overhaul plans.
“Well, let me tell you what happens in other industrialized countries. First of all, I think it's important for everybody to understand that Americans spend $5,000 to $6,000 per person more than any other advanced nation on earth -- $5,000 or $6,000 more than any other person -- any other country on earth.
Now, if you think that -- how can that be? Well, you probably don't notice it, because what's happening is if you've got health insurance through your job, more and more of what would be your salary and wages is going to health insurance. But you don't notice it; you just notice that you're not getting a raise. But a bigger and bigger portion of compensation is going to health care here in the United States. Now that's point number one.
So clearly we've got a system that isn't as efficient as it should be because we're not healthier than these people in these other countries.
”
— Barack Obama
More information
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Government Health Care Reform Page
www.healthreform.gov