Obama Asks Youth To Spread Health Care Message
On Thursday, President Obama spoke about health care to 15,000 people packed into the University of Maryland's Comcast Center. It was just the kind of young, liberal crowd that formed the core of his base during the campaign last year. He told the largely student crowd that overhauling health insurance was one of the defining struggles of their generation.
"When you're young, I know this isn't always an issue that you have at the top of your mind," Obama said. "You think you're invulnerable. That's how I thought."
Young people make up one of the biggest chunks of the uninsured: One in three adults under 30 does not have health insurance. And, Obama said, most of them are just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy.
"Nearly half of these young people have trouble paying their medical bills," he told the crowd. "Nearly 40 percent are in debt because of it. I mean, think about adding the debt you already have for college, on top of that, another $10,000 or $20,000 or $30,000 or $50,000 worth of debt because you get sick."
Depending On Youth
The solution the president is backing depends on bringing these young, healthy people into the insurance pool. They, like everyone else, would be required to have insurance, but because they use less health care, their premiums would help subsidize coverage for older, less healthy people.
Those under age 26 who are currently on their parents' health insurance would be allowed to stay on, but other young people, not covered by their parents' insurance, would have to purchase their own health insurance or pay a fine.
Brian Burell, a college junior, is still covered under his parents' plan; he said he doubts many of the students who came to the Comcast Center to hear the president understand the options they would face under his proposed plan.
"It's going to be a shock for, I think, a lot of people," Burell said. But, he added, "I think it's better in the long run, because it could be a lot more costly for someone to go out and not have health insurance and have to pay for surgery or whatever comes up."
Chris Ramig, a graduate student at the University of Maryland, was philosophical about the prospect of mandatory insurance.
"It's kind of the same as going without car insurance," he said. "It seems like a good idea until your car gets wrecked, but then, you know, what do you do? So I mean, if you care about your long-term interests, it seems like you would go out and do that instead of just being a free rider off of the system."
Mobilizing The 'Yes We Can' Generation
Like he did during the election season, Obama appealed directly to the youth crowd with his message.
"A lot of you here today and a lot of young people across the country gave your time and your effort to this campaign because you believed that America can still do great things," Obama told the university audience. "You believed that in this country, we don't fear the future; we shape the future."
Now he said he wants them to help him pass a health care bill through Congress.
"We need the voice of the young people to transform this nation," the president said. "So I want to know — are you fired up?"
His call to the audience was met with cheers and applause. It was the kind of enthusiastic response that none of the actual health care bills proposed so far have received from either party in Washington. The White House hopes to harness this momentum when it comes time to push a final bill over the finish line.
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MELISSA BLOCK, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.
ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
And I'm Robert Siegel.
First this hour, the president rallies college kids to support his health care plan. And two economists debate the public option and whether it could actually be the magic charm for lowering costs.
BLOCK: Now to the University of Maryland. Today, President Obama worked to raise the volume from his young supporters, one day after a key senator unveiled the bill that's likely to be the basis for negotiations.
NPR's national political correspondent Mara Liasson was at the rally.
MARA LIASSON: The Comcast Center was packed to the rafters with 15,000 screaming supporters, just the kind of young, liberal crowd that formed the core of the president's base during the campaign last year.
(Soundbite of cheering)
LIASSON: Today he told them, health insurance reform was one of the defining struggles of their generation.
(Soundbite of cheering)
President BARACK OBAMA: Well, let me say, you know, when you're young, I know this isn't always an issue that you have at the top of your mind. You think you're invulnerable. That's how I thought.
LIASSON: Young people make up one of the biggest segments of the uninsured. One in three adults under 30 doesn't have insurance. And Mr. Obama said most of them are just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy.
Pres. OBAMA: Nearly half of these young people have trouble paying their medical bills. Nearly 40 percent are in debt because of it. I mean, think about adding the debt you already have for college, on top of that, another $10,000 or $20,000 or $30,000 or $50,000 worth of debt because you get sick.
LIASSON: The solution the president would like depends on bringing these young healthy people into the insurance pool. They, like everyone else, would be required to have insurance. But because they use less health care, their premiums would help subsidize coverage for older, less healthy people. Brian Burell, a junior at Maryland, is still covered under his parents' plan. And he says he doubts many of the students here understand that if the health care bill passes, they'll either have to buy insurance for the first time or pay a fine.
Mr. BRIAN BURELL: It's going to be a shock for, I think, a lot of people. However, how I personally feel about it, if there's a financial incentive for them to get health insurance, I think it's better in the long run, because it could be a lot more costly for somebody to go out and not have health insurance, not to pay for surgery or whatever comes up.
LIASSON: And Chris Ramig, a graduate student at Maryland, was philosophical about the prospect of mandatory insurance.
Mr. CHRIS RAMIG: It's kind of the same as going without car insurance. You know, I mean, yeah, it seems like a good idea until your car gets wrecked. But then, you know, what do you do? So, I mean, if you care about your long-term interests, it seems like you would go out and do that instead of just being a free rider off of the system.
LIASSON: The president said his plan would allow people currently on their parents' plans to stay there until they're 26. That's a benefit targeted directly at his young audience. And then he asks them to do something for him.
Pres. OBAMA: A lot of you here today and a lot of young people across the country gave your time and your effort to this campaign because you believed that America can still do great things.
(Soundbite of cheering)
LIASSON: Now, he said, he wants them to help him push a health care bill through Congress.
(Soundbite of cheering)
Pres. OBAMA: We need the voice of the young people to transform this nation, to meet up to the meanings of its dream. I need your voice. So I want to know. Are you fired up?
Unidentified Group: Fired up.
Pres. OBAMA: Ready to go?
Unidentified Group: Ready to go.
Pres. OBAMA: Fired up.
Unidentified Group: Fired up.
Pres. OBAMA: Ready to go.
Unidentified Group: Ready to go.
Pres. OBAMA: Fired up.
Unidentified Group: Fired up.
Pres. OBAMA: Ready to go.
Unidentified Group: Ready to go.
Pres. OBAMA: Let's go change the world. Thank you, everybody.
(Soundbite of cheering)
LIASSON: It was the kind of enthusiastic response that greets the idea of changing the health system. But so far at least, nothing like it has been inspired by any of the actual health care bills proposed in Washington. Still, it's this kind of rally spirit the White House hopes to harness when a bill, in some form, comes to the finish line.
Mara Liasson, NPR News, College Park, Maryland. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
