OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

TRANSCRIPT

Leader Hoyer on Health Care Compromise on Bloomberg
July 30, 2009

... IS PROGRESS IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS THIS MORNING IN A PUSH TO OVERHAUL THE NATION'S HEALTH- CARE SYSTEM. PETER COOK IS STANDING BY WITH THE LATEST. >> THE BIGGEST BREAK IS A DEAL BETWEEN THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP AND THE BLUE DOGS. THE BLUE DOGS HAVE AGREED TO BACK A CHEAPER VERSION OF THE BILL THAT SCALES BACK A PLAN TO CREATE A GOVERNMENT RUN INSURANCE OPTION. STENY HOYER JOINS US NOW FROM CAPITOL HILL IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. DOES THIS DEAL MEAN YOU HAVE A BILL THAT WOULD CLEAR THE HOUSE? >> I THINK SO. I THINK THE BILL THAT IS BEING MARKED UP NOW WILL GO UNDER THE VOTES OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE. WE THEN HAVE TWO OTHER BILLS THAT HAVE TO BE PUT TOGETHER WITH THIS ONE. THE BLUE DOGS HAD A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT IS THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO GET THERE HOPEFULLY AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. >> YOU SCALE BACK THE PUBLIC OPTION. THIS EXTENDS MORE SMALL BUSINESSES FROM PAYING HELD INSURANCE TO EMPLOYEES. THESE ASPECTS HAVE ALREADY GOT MORE OPPOSITION. >> I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE. I DO NOT THINK THAT IS THE CASE. THE PUBLIC OPTION IS STILL AVAILABLE. IT IS STILL ROBUST. IT STILL GIVES AMERICANS A CHOICE IF THEY NEED THE CHOICE. AMERICANS ONCE STABILITY AND SECURITY. THEY WANT COVERAGE THEY CAN COUNT ON. WHILE THEY MAY BE PLEASED WITH WHAT THEY HAVE NOW, BELIEVE THEY MAY BE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR JOBS AND HEALTH INSURANCE IF IT BECOMES TOO EXPENSIVE. THE COST OF THEIR INSURANCE HAS GONE UP FOUR TIMES THE COST OF THEIR SALARIES. THEY ARE CONCERNED AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE CHOICES AND OPTIONS. WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF MISINFORMATION. THEY WILL HAVE A ROBUST CHOICE OF INSURANCE POLICIES, AS WELL AS A PUBLIC OPTION. I THINK WHEN AMERICANS REVIEW THIS THEY WILL THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GIVES THEM THE HEALTH CARE SECURITY THEY CAN COUNT ON. >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OF MORE SPECIFICS. THE NEW VERSION OF THE HOUSE BILL, AS WE UNDERSTAND, FOR THE FIRST TIME RAISES AN IDEA OF A COOP. THIS IS SOMETHING SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEES ARE LOOKING AT AS WELL. >> WE FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT A PUBLIC OPTION SO THAT THERE IS A GUARANTEED OPTION FOR PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR INSURANCE, ALTHOUGH WE WILL STOP INSURANCE COMPANIES FROM PROHIBITING PEOPLE FROM BEING INJURED BECAUSE OF PRE- EXISTING CONDITIONS. WE WILL STOP CANCELLATIONS. WE WILL PUT A CAP ON LIFE-TIME PAYMENTS -- ON LIFETIME PAYMENTS. WE THINK THIS WILL BE MORE ROBUST AND RELIABLE. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED A CO-OP AS AN ALTERNATIVE. THAT MAY BE AN OPTION, BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC OPTION HAS REAL STRONG SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE, AND I THINK THAT WILL PASS THROUGH THE HOUSE, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO CONFERENCE. THEY HAVE NOT PASS THEIR BILL AT THIS POINT IN TIME AS YOU KNOW. >> IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE POLL NUMBERS SHOWING A GROWING NUMBER OF AMERICANS GROWING SKEPTICAL WITH ALL OF THIS. IS THIS STILL A LONG SHOT? >> I THINK WE WILL PASS A BILL THIS YEAR. WE HAVE NOT PASSED IT QUITE AS QUICKLY AS WE WANTED TO DO, BUT THAT IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO TAKE THE CARE TO DO IT RIGHT. THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID THAT. WE HAVE SAID THAT. WE WILL LOOK AT ALL OF THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE AND COME BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND PASS A BILL. I THINK WE WILL PASS A BILL, AND I THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL SIGN A BILL. THEIR REASON THAT THAT -- THE REASON FOR THAT IS AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF AMERICANS WANT TO HAVE THIS. THEY WANT THE SECURITY OF BEING GUARANTEED COVERAGE. WE WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THOSE OBJECTIVES. >> THINK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE ARE SHORT ON TIME. -- THANK YOU. >> I WILL HAVE MORE IN CHICAGO AHEAD OF THE SPEECH FROM KEN LEWIS. BETTY LIU IS NEXT. STAY TUNED. . ...