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Children’s Health Fund president and co-founder Dr. Irwin Redlener tells Alan how he feels Obamacare will benefit America’s children.
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-- -- don't want to welcome Zach early red -- he is president and co-founder of the Children's Health Fund.
He is a pediatrician who co founded.
The fund the singer songwriter Paul Clement also director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia university and in 1993.
-- is a member of the White House has -- on health reform under President Clinton you're surprised doctor Atlanta when imitative and -- the debate that I knew that.
-- was so -- your memory is pretty good stuff.
But I like thank you begun a program tonight -- -- you went and I wanna talk about health care -- is well but I gather he went to both candidates.
Obama and Romney right with a three questions survey about children Zell about poverty and health care.
And what they plan to do for children's poverty and the -- campaign in spite of a bunch emails back and forth never really gave you an answer for Obama -- what do you make of that.
Well personally -- gives an answer the answer was he was not going to believe it was the yeah yeah but they actually put in writing this email that they basically were declining thanks anyway but they weren't gonna respond.
-- it took a couple weeks longer but actually last weekend we finally got.
-- really thoughtful response sweetheart from President Obama it was emailed to us by the campaign but it was written in the first person.
And did basically expressed concerned about the problem of poverty and children and -- was they have to -- -- questions -- and we are very happy to see that and actually -- a surprise that Romney.
Didn't answer at all.
He all the questions very quickly what are -- plans to ensure that comprehensive health care quality educational opportunity.
Beginning with the appropriate preschool programs and food security available for all at risk and very little children first the president.
To each of these questions.
Talked about what he's already done that he plans to continue to some of these things but he actually has addressed a lot of these issues -- years in office.
Exactly and I think a lot of people don't really haven't recognize that in fact.
Some significant progress -- made during this its current administration around these very eager very issues that we -- so are critically important here.
And so I mean the president in all fairness did you know he basically said to what he's been doing and I promise keep doing it and we -- happy to hear that -- you know we've there's a lot that needs to be done there's still plenty of children living in poverty but we have to make sure that there's certain.
Appropriate safety net for those kids and I think it's administration is is quite committed.
Very Affordable Care Act does address this in terms of not punishing preexisting conditions.
Allowing guns PP young people saying their parents' health plan until 26 -- you happy with the Affordable Care Act.
Well you know if I am -- it's not they wouldn't have been my first choice frankly I think we could have had you know I mean I would I would prefer to.
A much simpler system but the fact of the matter is that they're politically speaking there was no way that a very just sort of basic you know.
Health care plan that the resemble what the Canadians have put something in that order that was not gonna happen in any any time soon.
And I I think guides come to appreciate the fact that the president.
Stuck his neck out and push forward plans -- And actually does more than just deal with that pre existing conditions -- actually will bring five million uninsured children currently uninsured children into the system so.
Think there's there's quite a lot of progress being made by this plan and I think it's basically the best that we could have gotten and even talk of -- of repealing it that the other side seems to be -- anxious to do is -- distressing.
And of course who tell us what the court -- -- billion Cordova trillion dollars to repeal it according to Congressional Budget Office for -- Wesley with a Clinton health care plan in 1993 that you helped.
Develop was it too ambitious.
Well that Clinton I really was a big fan of the Clinton proposal and then obviously it worked on about.
But I really even looking back on and I felt it was a really.
Really good plan it was also you know reasonably complex complex not as complex as this is but it was.
Again it was an attempt to to rectify a horrendously.
Disorganized health care system that.
In effect cost a lot of money doesn't really deliver the quality that you might expect at least a whole lot of people out of it so.
Just something something needed to be done and you know it's quite historic that president's been -- to push.
-- this particular bill through and we're hoping it gets implemented as design.
Which I would doctor Irwin red -- he is a founded the Children's Health Fund we've heard story after story of CEOs in bosses telling their employees.
Hey you better have they given you gonna vote for because some not so sure we'll be able to maintain -- the your job your health care if Obama stays in office in the Affordable Care Act.
Goes forward.
What -- we -- to disabuse people of those concerns.
Well wolf first of -- I I think it's it's really quite unfair to get a one sided view of the health care bill from.
Somebody's actually imploring you hold your economic present and future in their hands and actually ironically one of the big problems with the current system is that.
Secure health insurance is so.
Tied to your place of employment.
Your employer often really does have you over the barrel.
And that is there's no question about themselves.
If you were to lose your job you know -- lose your job but you might -- dropped to get health care.
So it really puts the employees.
In the very -- -- position that you're the boss.
Talking like this so.
And and there's a lot of ways in which.
People can can can assure that they will continue their health care about continuing their employer and making sure that their employer contingent continues to provide that.
Whether people really can have so our employees our employers gonna really suffer under this -- or they just instilling fear if they don't like Obama.
I think there's a lot.
Sort of defuse.
Unspecified.
Anxiety about the president for a variety of reasons -- I I think there's.
Quite a lot of fear mongering that's sort of put out about him and the health care plan.
At the end of the day if we can implement it correctly.
What have very they -- reasonably good working system that operating.
At least thirty million people into this isn't currently don't have health insurance.
And I and I think that's a really good thing and there's a lot of other aspects of this very very long bill that will be helpful to people you know.
Full support for preventive services including tomography and other kinds of cancer screening and preventive services for children.
Construction of -- clinics in parts of the country where there simply aren't enough doctors and health care facilities so.
The big bill a lot in it and you know -- the -- that -- -- a -- -- a lot better than what we.
We have -- -- they'll get to a point where may be where you wanted to be back in 1993 is -- the first step toward perhaps a better health care system and even.
-- -- I I think there's more to do -- health care and and I think this is the first step I think we actually the considered quite a few things we -- do we really do need to control cost more than we are currently -- and we need to get.
The remaining twenty or thirty million people who who still won't be covered -- with obamacare we need to get them into the system also.
And as far as children are concerned it is absolutely important that.
That every child in the country has health care -- very and -- the first grade teacher instead sign -- really a difficult section of Brooklyn and she was telling me about first graders six -- -- -- -- -- -- their -- they went to find out what's going -- for the kids -- -- that was not diagnosed not treated.
They're up all night coughing they're sleeping on their desks in school and this -- Just horrendous -- just can't have that and and having health care available especially for children -- four or near -- It's really in the national interest and -- -- should be thinking about turning that back.
-- -- appreciate meeting you the Internet and appreciate what you've stood Ford thought forces thank you very much excellent on this program tonight -- can work hard at work thanks very much sector and red letter he is a president and co-founder of the Children's Health Fund.
Along with the Paul Simon the other co-founder of that the singer songwriter.
