Likely Obama Budget Aide: Health Reform 'Crucial' To Fixing Economy

[babylonsister]

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/key_obama_adviser_health_care.php

Likely Obama Adviser: Health Care Reform Central To Fixing Economy
By Greg Sargent - November 24, 2008, 9:44AM


Here's still more great news for those who are hoping that Barack Obama will act quickly and decisively on health care reform: The guy who's widely expected to be Obama's chief budget official says that such reform is central to repairing the economic mess.

Peter Orszag, the apparent front-runner for the post of head of the Office of Management an Budget, is currently the head of the Congressional Budget Office. And he says health care costs are a problem that's directly linked to our economic woes.

"Although it may not seem immediately relevant given our current difficulties," Orszag says in a post on his blog, "it will be crucial to address the nation's looming fiscal gap -- which is driven primarily by rising health care costs -- as the economy eventually recovers from this current downturn."

Read his whole post to get his full argument, but here's why this is key. As Ezra Klein notes, the budget chief is in a key position with regard to health care, because he's one of the president's top advisers and helps set the administration's fiscal priorities. And the guy expected to get the job says that rather than displacing health care reform as a priority, the financial mess puts health care front and center as a problem.

Health care reform advocates have privately indicated to me that one thing they're all watching for very closely is a sign that the Obama administration views things in these terms -- that they see reform as central to fixing the economy over the long term. Now they've got such a sign.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. K and R

amen.

[Phredicles]

2. Agreed; health care is in such dire shape the economy can't start to be secure

if it's not well addressed.

I still think the best way to get health-care costs under control is with a single-payer system. I realize it's not on the agenda now, but I'd like to see if we can get it there.

[babylonsister]

3. How about universal health care? That's what Kennedy's promoting:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4521268

[OhioChick]

4. K&R

:kick:

[prolesunited]

5. I agree

We're hanging on, but our COBRA payments soon will put us under.