Obamacare’s ‘New Regime’

Senior Dem Says You Can Keep Your Plan ‘As Long As It Fits Into This New Regime That We Are Building For America’

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D-IA): “Sen. Tom Harkin suggested yesterday that the president could have avoided the controversy over his pledge that Americans could keep the insurance they like by explaining the policy more, ‘I suppose he could have added a caveat that if you have a plan you like, you can keep it, as long as it fits into this new regime that we are building for America,’ Harkin told POLITICO. ‘To say you can keep that, that's not really right...there's a lot of gray area there.’” (Politico, 11/1/13)

FLASHBACK: ‘If You Like What You Have, You Can Keep It,’ ‘We Guarantee It’

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “In fact, one of our core principles is that if you like the health care you have, you can keep it.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.8642, 8/3/09)

• REID: “If you like what you have, you can keep it.” (Sen. Reid, Press Briefing, 10/20/09)
• REID: “If you are fortunate enough to have coverage you like, you can keep it.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.7218,7/8/09)
• REID: “It not only means making sure you can keep your family's doctor or keep your health care plan if you like it but also that you can afford to do so.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.8150, 7/28/09)

“Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) made the same promise… ‘Many people say: “I like my health insurance right now. I don’t want to change. I don’t want to go into Medicare or Medicaid. I like what I have. Would you please leave people alone?”’ Durbin said. ‘The answer is yes,’ he added. ‘In fact, we guarantee it. We are going to put in any legislation considered by the House and Senate the protection that you, as an individual, keep the health insurance you have, if that is what you want.’” (“Top Dems Made Same Promises,” The Hill, 10/31/13)

• DURBIN: “First and foremost, it [Obamacare] stays true to the President’s call that if you like what you have, you can keep it.” (Sen. Durbin, Press Release, 1/5/10)
• DURBIN: “We believe--and we stand by this--if you like your current health insurance plan, you will be able to keep it, plain and simple, straightforward.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.6401, 6/10/09)

SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT): “That is why one of the central promises of health care reform has been and is: If you like what you have, you can keep it. That is critically important. If a person has a plan, and he or she likes it, he or she can keep it.” (Sen. Baucus, Congressional Record, S.7676, 9/29/10)

• BAUCUS:  “Folks who are satisfied with their current health insurance coverage could keep it. People would not be required to change health plans.” (Finance Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 10/14/09)
• BAUCUS: “…despite what some folks might say, we stuck to that promise. If you like your health care plan, you can pretty much keep it.” (Sen. Baucus, Congressional Record, S.7676, 9/29/10)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “Again, if you like what you have, you will be able to keep it. Let me say this again: If you like what you have, when our legislation is passed and signed by the President, you will be able to keep it.” (Sen. Murray, Congressional Record, S.6400, 6/10/09)

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D-IA): “One of the things we put in the health care bill when we designed it was the protection for consumers to keep the plan they have if they like it; thus, the term ‘grandfathered plans.’ If you have a plan you like --existing policies--you can keep them. …we said, if you like a plan, you get to keep it, and you can grandfather it in.” (Sen. Harkin, Congressional Record, S.7675-6, 9/29/10)

• HARKIN: “If you are a person out there who has your own health insurance policy right now and you like it , you can keep it.” (Sen. Harkin, Congressional Record, S.13642, 12/21/09)

SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): “Our bill says if you have health insurance and you like it, you can keep it…” (Sen. Brown, Congressional Record, S.12612, 12/7/09)

SEN. KAY HAGAN (D-NC): ‘People who have insurance they're happy with can keep it’ “We need to support the private insurance industry so that people who have insurance they're happy with can keep it while also providing a backstop option for people without access to affordable coverage.” (“Republicans Vent As Other Compromise Plans Get Aired,” National Journal’s Congress Daily, 6/18/09)

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): “If you like the insurance you have, you can choose to keep it.” (Sen. Reed, Town Hall Event, 6/25/09)

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): “If you have job-based health insurance you like, you can keep it.” (Sen. Coons, “FAQ For Individuals And Families,” Accessed 10/31/13)

SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-AK): “If you got a doctor now, you got a medical professional you want, you get to keep that. If you have an insurance program or a health care policy you want of ideas, make sure you keep it. That you can keep who you want.” (Sen. Begich, Townhall Event, 7/27/09)

---

Tags: Obamacare, new regime, democrats To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!