hello, maryland! (applause.) hello, pgcc!(applause.) it's good to be back in pg county. (applause.) give it up for one of the hardest-working,most effective governors in the country, governor martin o'malley. (applause.) well, it is great to be with all of you heretoday -- audience member: i love you! the president: i love you back. it's wonderfulbeing here. (applause.) we also have a few folks who work so hardon behalf of the people of maryland every single day: senator ben cardin is here. (applause.)congressman steny hoyer is here. (applause.)
and congresswoman donna edwards is here. (applause.) and all of you are here. (applause.) sometimesyou just need to escape beltway politics for a little bit -- even if you're just a mileor two outside the beltway. now, i know that a lot of you have seen someof the antics going on in congress right now. (laughter.) so i wanted to take a little bitof time today to speak with you -- the people who send us to serve -- about something thatis critical to our families, critical to our businesses, critical to our economy. and thatis the reforms that we are making to our health care system. there's been a lot of things said, a lot ofmisinformation, a lot of confusion. but there
are few things more fundamental to the economicsecurity of the middle class and everybody who's trying to get into the middle classthan health care. for a long time, america was the only advancedeconomy in the world where health care was not a right, but a privilege. we spent more,we got less. we left tens of millions of americans without the security of health insurance.by the time the financial crisis hit, most folks' premiums had more than doubled in abouta decade. about one in 10 americans who got their health care through their employer lostthat coverage. so the health care system was not working. and the rising costs of healthcare burdened businesses and became the biggest driver of our long-term deficits.
but this has always been about more than juststatistics. everywhere i went as i ran for president back in 2007, 2008, everyplace i'vegone as president, i would hear stories from folks just like you of insurers that denieda child coverage because he had a preexisting condition like asthma; of cancer survivorsthat had to choose between their home or their health care; of small businesses who wantedto do the right thing by their employees but had seen their insurance premiums go up sohigh that they just couldn't do it anymore. and these stories were personal for me, becausei remember my mother worrying about how she was going to deal with her finances when shegot very sick. i remember the fear michelle and i felt when sasha was a few months oldand she got meningitis. and we raced to the
hospital and they had to give her a spinaltap. and we didn't know what was wrong and we were terrified, never felt so scared orhelpless in all of my life. but we were fortunate enough to have good health insurance. and i remember looking around that emergencyroom and thinking -- what about the parents who aren't that lucky? what about the parentswho get hit with a bill of $20,000 or $30,000 and they've got no idea how to pay for it?what about those parents whose kids have a chronic illness like asthma and have to keepon going back to the emergency room because they don't have a regular doctor, and thebills never stop coming? who is going to stand up for them?
in the wealthiest nation on earth, no oneshould go broke just because they get sick. in the united states of america, health careis not a privilege for the fortunate few -- it is a right. and i knew that if we didn't dosomething about our unfair and inefficient health care system, it would keep drivingup our deficits, it would keep burdening our businesses, it would keep hurting our families,and it would keep holding back economic growth. that's why we took on a broken health caresystem. that's why, with the help of folks like steny and ben and donna, we got it throughcongress. that's why we've been implementing it. that's why we are going to see it through.the affordable care act is here. (applause.) i don't have to tell you it was a challengeto get it done. (laughter.) a lot of special
interests who liked the system just the wayit was fought us tooth and nail. then republicans decided it was good politics to fight it,even though the plan we proposed drew on a lot of republican ideas. but despite all the obstacles, the affordablecare act passed both houses of congress. i signed it into law. (applause.) the supremecourt ruled it constitutional. (applause.) republicans in congress have now voted morethan 40 times to undermine or repeal it. their candidate for president ran on a platformto repeal it. and at every step, they've been unsuccessful. (applause.) now, five days from now -- five days fromnow -- on october 1st, millions of americans
who don't have health insurance because they'vebeen priced out of the market or because they've been denied access because of a preexistingcondition, they will finally be able to buy quality, affordable health insurance. (applause.)in five days. (applause.) preexisting conditions, whether it's backpain or allergies that were sticking you with sky-high premiums, those no longer will preventyou from getting affordable coverage that you need. that's going to happen in five days. now, of course, the closer we've gotten tothis date, the more irresponsible folks who are opposed to this law have become. someof the same republicans who warned three years ago that this law would be "armageddon" -- that'swhat they said -- "armageddon" -- now they're
threatening steps that actually would badlyhurt our entire economy -- not because of the affordable care act but because of whatthey're threatening to do. some have threatened a government shutdownif they can't shut down this law. others have actually threatened an economic shutdown byrefusing to pay america's bills if they can't delay the law. audience: booo -- the president: that's not going to happenas long as i'm president. (applause.) the affordable care act is here to stay. (applause.) and so today, i want to speak plainly, clearly,honestly, about what it means for you and
for the people you care about.now, let's start with the fact that even before the affordable care act fully takes effect,about 85 percent of americans already have health insurance --- either through theirjob, or through medicare, or through the individual market. so if you're one of these folks, it'sreasonable that you might worry whether health care reform is going to create changes thatare a problem for you -- especially when you're bombarded with all sorts of fear-mongering. so the first thing you need to know is this:if you already have health care, you don't have to do anything. in fact, for the pastfew years, since i signed the affordable care act, a lot of you have been enjoying new benefitsand protections that you didn't before even
if you didn't know they were coming from obamacare.(applause.) let me just give you a few examples. becauseof the affordable care act, more than 100 million americans have gotten free preventivecare like mammograms and contraceptive care with no copays. (applause.) because of the affordable care act, 3 millionyoung adults under age 26 have gained coverage by staying on their parents' plan. (applause.) because of the affordable care act, millionsof seniors on medicare have saved hundreds of dollars on their prescription medicine.they've been getting their prescription drugs cheaper. (applause.)
because of the affordable care act, just thisyear, 8.5 million families actually got an average of $100 back from their insurancecompanies because the insurance companies spent too much on things like overhead, andnot enough on actual medicare -- medical care. because of the affordable care act, insurancecompanies can no longer put lifetime limits on the care your family needs, or discriminateagainst children with preexisting conditions. and starting on january 1st, they won't beable to charge women more for their insurance just because they're women. (applause.) that'sa good thing. so tens of millions of americans are alreadybetter off because of the benefits and protections provided by the affordable care act. likei said, they may not know why that rebate
check came in the mail. (laughter.) they maynot notice that they're not having to copay for some preventive care that they received.but they're getting those benefits. that's already happening. that's already in placetoday. it's been going on for several years. those are the benefits of obamacare -- thelaw that republicans want to repeal. although it's interesting -- when you ask republicanswhether they'd repeal the benefits i just mentioned, when you say to them, well, doyou think it's the right thing to do to let young people stay on their parents' plansso they can keep insurance, or do you want to prevent seniors from getting more discountson their prescription drugs, then they'll say, no, no, no, we like those. those thingsare okay. (laughter.) so they don't like obamacare
in theory, but some of the component parts,at least those that poll well, they don't mind. but that's already in place. now, here's thesecond thing you need to know. if you're one of over 40 million americans who don't havehealth insurance --- including hundreds of thousands of folks right here in maryland--- starting on tuesday, five days from now, you'll finally have the same chance to buyquality, affordable health care as everybody else. audience member: thanks, mr. president! (applause.) the president: and i want to break this downfor you. i want you to know exactly how it
works. the major reason why people don't havehealth insurance is either they don't have a job, or they do have a job but their employerdoesn't offer health insurance, or they're self-employed. if you've ever tried to buyhealth insurance on your own, you know it is really, really expensive. audience: yes! the president: it's even worse if you havea preexisting condition --- and up to half of all americans have a preexisting condition.see, the reason it's really expensive if you're buying it on your own is because you're notpart of a big group, you're not part of a group plan. and what groups do is they spreadrisk between sick and healthy people, between
older and younger people. and groups -- becauseinsurance companies want the business of groups -- that's a lot of customers -- they'll negotiatea better deal with a group than they will with an individual. so if you're on your own, you're out theretrying to negotiate with an insurance company, they're looking and they're saying, well,you take it or leave it, i'm going to charge you a whole lot of money. and if you've gota preexisting condition, they'll say, we don't even want to insure you because we think youmight get sick later on and we don't really want to pay, we just want to take in premiums. so if you're not part of a group, you're eitheruninsurable, or you need to spend a small
fortune on insurance that oftentimes is notvery good. that's what's happening right now. the affordable care act was designed to solvethat problem. and here's how we do it. starting on tuesday, every american can visithealthcare.gov to find out what's called the insurance marketplace for your state. herein maryland, i actually think it's called marylandhealthconnection.gov. (applause.)marylandhealthconnection.gov. but if you go to healthcare.gov, you can look and they'lltell you where to go. they'll link to your state. now, this is real simple. it's a website whereyou can compare and purchase affordable health insurance plans, side-by-side, the same wayyou shop for a plane ticket on kayak -- (laughter)
-- same way you shop for a tv on amazon. youjust go on and you start looking, and here are all the options. it's buying insurance on the private market,but because now you're part of a big group plan -- everybody in maryland is all loggingin and taking a look at the prices -- you've got new choices. now you've got new competition,because insurers want your business. and that means you will have cheaper prices. (applause.) so you enter in some basic information aboutyourself, what level of coverage you're looking for. after that, you'll be presented witha list of quality, affordable plans that are available in your area. it will say clearlywhat each plan covers, what each plan costs.
the price will be right there. it will befully transparent. before this law, only a handful of statesrequired insurance companies to offer you instant price quotes, but because of thislaw, insurers in all 50 states will have to offer you instant price quotes. and so ifyou've ever tried to buy insurance on your own, i promise you this is a lot easier. it'slike booking a hotel or a plane ticket. and here's another thing about these new plans.if you're one of those folks who has a preexisting condition, these plans have to offer you coverage.they can't use your medical history to charge you more than anybody else. if you couldn'tafford coverage for your child because he had asthma, he's covered. if you couldn'tafford coverage because you were told heartburn
was a preexisting condition, you're covered.(laughter.) if you're one of the 45 million americans with a mental illness, you are covered. if you're a young adult or entrepreneur strikingout on your own, you're covered. (applause.) if you're a young couple who previously hadinsurance that didn't include maternity benefits and now suddenly you need some maternity benefits,you're covered. (applause.) if you lose your job and your health care with it, you're covered.(applause.) so all those things that would deny you coveragein the past, that were the cruelties of a broken health care system, on january 1st,when these plans take effect -- audience member: october 1st.
the president: no, no, no, no -- hold on.(laughter.) hold on. i know what i'm talking about. you sign up starting on tuesday. (laughter.)the plan will take effect on january 1st. and when these plans take effect, all thosethings change forever. now, what about choice and cost? in stateswhere the federal government helps run these marketplaces, the average american will havemore than 50 different plans to choose from, with different levels of coverage. and becauseinsurance companies are competing against one another for your business, a lot of americanswill pay significantly less for their insurance than they do now. premiums are going to bedifferent in different parts of the country, depending on how much coverage you buy. but95 percent of uninsured americans will see
their premiums cost less than was expected.and many families, including more than two-thirds of all young adults who buy health care throughthese online marketplaces, are also going to be eligible for tax credits that bringdown the cost down even further. (applause.) so let me be specific. right here in maryland,average 25-year-old -- have we got any 25-year-olds here? (applause.) all right, so we've gota few. some of you raised your hand -- i'm not sure you're -- (laughter.) here in maryland, average 25-year-old making$25,000 a year could end up getting covered for as little as $80 a month -- $80 a month.(applause.) here in maryland, a family of four making $60,000 a year could get coveredfor as little as $164 a month.
it's the same story across the country. intexas, average 27-year-old making $25,000 could get covered for as little as $83 a month.in florida, a family of four making $50,000 could get covered for as little as $104 amonth. and keep in mind the government didn't setthese prices. the insurance companies -- they proposed these prices because they want toget in with these big groups, with all these new customers. the insurance companies aresaying these marketplaces, this law, will work. they're putting money on the line becausethey think it will work. competition, choice, transparency -- all these things are keepingcosts down. knowing you can offer your family the securityof health care -- that's priceless. now you
can do it for the cost of your cable bill.probably less than your cellphone bill. (laughter and applause.) think about that. good healthinsurance for the price of your cellphone bill, or less. and let's say you're a young woman, you justturned -- i'm interested in this, because i got two daughters, right? let's say youjust turned 26. let's say you can't stay on your parents' plan anymore. if you buy healthcare through the marketplace, your plan has to cover free checkups, flu shots, contraceptivecare. so you might end up getting more health care each month than you're paying for thepremiums. all told, nearly 6 in 10 americans withouthealth insurance today will be able to get
covered for $100 or less. it would actuallybe 8 in 10 if every governor were working as hard as governor o'malley to make the affordablecare act work for their citizens. (applause.) unfortunately, we've still got a few republicangovernors who are so opposed to the very idea of the law -- or at least they're doing itfor politics -- that they haven't lifted a finger to help cover more people. some ofthem have actually tried to harm the law before it takes effect. but a lot of republican governors are puttingpolitics aside and doing the right thing. (applause.) and they deserve congratulationsfor that. it wasn't easy for them. but you've got conservative governors in ohio, in michigan,in pennsylvania and arizona -- about eight
republican governors in all, they've decidedto expand medicaid through the affordable care act to cover more people in their states.and millions of americans without insurance will get coverage through these programs. so that's what the affordable care act is.that's what all the fuss is about. we're giving more benefits and protections for folks whoalready have health insurance, and we created a new market -- basically a big group plan-- for folks without health insurance so that they get a better deal, and then we're providingtax credits to help folks afford it. you would think that would not be so controversial.(laughter.) you would think people would say, okay, let's go ahead and let's do this soeverybody has health insurance coverage. the
result is more choice, more competition, realhealth care security. and one question people ask: how is it possibleto do all this and keep costs down? well, part of what we did was build into the lawall sorts of measures to assure that the growth of health care costs would start slowing down.and it has. see, under the old system, doctors and hospitals, they were rewarded not forthe quality of care, but for the quantity of care. they'd get paid for the number ofprocedures they did instead of whether they were working or not. now, there are penaltiesfor hospitals with high readmission rates. and last year, surprisingly enough, for thefirst time ever, hospital readmission rates for medicare patients actually fell. (applause.)right? that means fewer taxpayer dollars go
to providers that don't serve their patientswell. over the past five years, we've more thandoubled the adoption of electronic health records for physicians. so that means theycan track what's going on better and make fewer mistakes. new technology startup companiesare coming up with new inventions to monitor patient health, prevent infections. there'sinnovation going on all across the country. as a consequence, today, medicare costs perenrollee are rising at the slowest rate in years. employer-based health care costs aregrowing at about one-third the rate of a decade ago. all told, since i signed the affordable careact into law, we have seen the slowest growth
in health care costs on record. (applause.) so let's think about this. if you got healthinsurance, you're getting better protections, better benefits. if you don't have healthinsurance, you're now getting to be part of a group plan. and health care costs overallare rising much more slowly than they did before we signed the law. so far, so good.so what's all the fuss about? what is it that everybody -- what is that these republicansare just so mad about? the president: no, no, no, look, i want tobe honest. there are parts of the bill that some folks don't like. to help pay for theprogram, the wealthiest americans --- families who make more than $250,000 a year --- willhave to pay a little bit more. extremely costly
health insurance plans will no longer qualifyfor unlimited tax breaks. and most people who can afford health insurance now have totake responsibility to buy health insurance, or pay a penalty. (applause.) right? now, the reason we do that is, whenuninsured people who can afford to get health insurance don't, and then they get sick orthey get hit by a car, and they show up at the emergency room, who do you think paysfor that? audience: we do. the president: you do, in the form of higherpremiums. because the hospitals, they've got to get their money back somehow. so if they'retreating somebody who doesn't have health
insurance, they jack up premiums for everybodywho does have health insurance. it's like a hidden tax of $1,000 per family every yearwho has got health insurance. so we're saying that's not fair. if you can afford to gethealth insurance, don't dump the costs on us. the law also requires employers with morethan 50 employees to either provide health insurance for your workers or pay a penalty. now, some folks say, well, that's not fair.but if you are an employer, you can afford to provide health insurance, you don't, youremployees get sick, they go to the emergency room or they end up on medicaid because you'renot doing what you're doing -- you should be doing -- why is it everybody else shouldbe bearing those costs?
now, there are some folks who disagree withme on this. they say that violates people's liberty, telling them they've got to get healthinsurance. well, i disagree. so did congress when it passed this bill into law. it is unfairfor folks to game the system and make the rest of us pay for it. (applause.) it's unfairfor responsible employers who are doing the right thing, giving their employees healthinsurance, to get undercut by some operator that's not providing health insurance fortheir employees. that puts the employer who's doing the right thing at a disadvantage, right? so this idea that you've got responsibilities-- everybody -- that's what massachusetts did when they passed their health care plana few years ago. and, by the way, today, in
massachusetts, almost everybody is coveredand the system works pretty well. (applause.) all right, let me just wrap up by saying this:like any law, like any big product launch, there are going to be some glitches as thisthing unfolds. folks in different parts of the country will have different experiences.it's going to be smoother in places like maryland where governors are working to implement itrather than fight it. (applause.) but somewhere around the country, there's going to be acomputer glitch and the website's not working quite the way it's supposed to, or somethinghappens where there's some error made somewhere -- that will happen. that happens wheneveryou roll out a new program. and i guarantee you, the opponents of the law, they'll havetheir cameras ready to document anything that
doesn't go completely right, and they'll sendit to the news folks and they'll say, look at this, this thing is not working. but most of the stories you'll hear abouthow obamacare just can't work is just not based on facts. every time they have predictedsomething not working, it's worked. (applause.) i mean, they said that these rates would comein real high and everybody's premiums would be sky high. and it turns out, lo and behold,actually, the prices came in lower than we expected -- lower than i predicted. that'show well competition and choice work. (applause.) they said this would be a disaster in termsof jobs. there's no widespread evidence that the affordable care act is hurting jobs. oneof john mccain's former economic advisors
admitted just this week -- and i'm quotinghere -- "i was expecting to see it. i was looking for it," but "it's not there." it'snot there. (applause.) the reason is reforming health care is goingto help the economy over the long term. not only will it help lower costs for businesses,not only will it help families, it will free up entrepreneurship in this country. becauseif you've got a great idea for your own business but you've never tried it because your spousehad a preexisting condition and you didn't want to lose your employer-based coverage,you've got the ability now to get your own coverage. that's security. that's freedom. so we're now only five days away from finishingthe job.
audience member: five days away. the president: five days. (applause.) startingon tuesday, you can sign up. but you don't have to sign up on tuesday. you've got sixmonths to enroll in these new plans. you can go to the website; you can check it out; youcan see if what i'm saying is true. (laughter.) you can sign up next week. you can sign upnext month. you can sign up two months from now, three months from now. but you can signup. tell your friends, tell your classmates, tellyour family members about the new health care choices. talk to folks at your church, inyour classroom. you're going to a football game, basketball game -- talk to them. tellthem what the law means.
and over the next few months, state and localleaders from across the country are going to hold events to help get the word out. goout there and join them. secretary of health and human services kathleen sebelius is intexas right now, working with folks on the ground to make sure this law works for texasfamilies. all across the country, people are getting ready. all kinds of people are workinghand-in-hand because we're all in this together -- that's when america is at its best. that'swhat this country is all about. but we need you to spread the word. but youdon't have to take my word for it. if you talk to somebody who says, well, i don't know,i was watching fox news and they said this was horrible -- (laughter) -- you can say,you know what, don't take my word for it,
go on the website. see for yourself what theprices are. see for yourself what the choices are. then make up your own mind. that's all i'm asking. make up your own mind.i promise you, if you go on the website and it turns out you're going to save $100, $200,$300 a month on your insurance, or you'll be able to buy insurance for the first time,even if you didn't vote for me -- (laughter) -- i'll bet you'll sign up for that healthcare plan. (applause.) so you don't need to listen to the politicians.you don't need to listen to me. just go check it out for yourself. make up your own mindwhether this works for you. look, part of the reason i need your helpto make this law work is because there are
so many people out there working to make itfail. one of the biggest newspapers in the country recently published an editorial ithought was pretty good. they said, the republicans in congress are poisoning obamacare, thentrying to claim it's sick. (laughter.) that's exactly what's been happening. i mean, they have tried to put up every conceivableroadblock. they cut funding for efforts to educate people about what's in the law. someof them said if their constituents called them, we won't even try to explain to themwhat's in the law. they actually opened up an investigation into people who try to helpchurches and charities understand how to help people sign up for the law.
some of the tea party's biggest donors -- someof the wealthiest men in america -- are funding a cynical ad campaign trying to convince youngpeople not to buy health care at all. i mean, think about it. these are billionaires severaltimes over. you know they've got good health care. audience: right! (applause.) the president: but they are actually spendingmoney on television, trying to convince young people that if you've got the choice betweengetting affordable health care or going without health care, you should choose not havingany health care. now, do you think if you get sick or you get hurt, and you get stuckwith a massive bill, these same folks, they're
going to help you out? audience: no! the president: are they going to pay for yourhealth care? the president: it is interesting, though,how over the last couple years, the republican party has just spun itself up around thisissue. and the fact is the republicans' biggest fear at this point is not that the affordablecare act will fail. what they're worried about is it's going to succeed. (applause.) i mean,think about it. if it was as bad as they said it was going to be, then they could just goahead and let it happen and then everybody would hate it so much, and then everybodywould vote to repeal it, and that would be
the end of it. so what is it that they're so scared about? audience member: you! (laughter and applause.) the president: they have made such a big politicalissue out of this, trying to scare everybody with lies about "death panels" and "killinggranny" -- (laughter) -- right? "armageddon." so if it actually works, they'll look prettybad. if it actually works, that will mean that everything they were saying really wasn'ttrue and they were just playing politics. audience: that's right! the president: just the other day, one republicanin congress said we need to shut this thing
down before the marketplaces open and peopleget to see that they'll be getting coverage and getting these subsidies because -- andi'm going to quote him here -- he said, "it's going to prove almost impossible to undo obamacare."(laughter.) right? so in other words, we've got to shut this thing down before peoplefind out that they like it. (laughter and applause.) that's a strange argument. don'tyou think that's a strange argument? the president: and the closer we get, themore desperate they get. i mean, over the last few weeks the rhetoric has just beencranked up to a place i've never seen before. one congressman said that obamacare is "themost dangerous piece of legislation ever passed." (laughter.) ever. in the history of america,this is the most dangerous piece of legislation.
(laughter.) creating a marketplace so peoplecan buy group insurance plans -- the most dangerous ever. you had a state representative somewhere saythat it's "as destructive to personal and individual liberty as the fugitive slave act." the president: think about that. affordablehealth care is worse than a law that let slave owners get their runaway slaves back. the president: i mean, these are quotes. i'mnot making this stuff up. and here's one more that i've heard -- i like this one -- we haveto -- and i'm quoting here -- "we have to repeal this failure before it literally killswomen, kills children, kills senior citizens."
now, i have to say -- that one was from sixmonths ago -- i just want to point out we still have women -- (laughter) -- we stillhave children, we still have senior citizens. all this would be funny if it wasn't so crazy.and a lot of it is just hot air. a lot of it is just politics. i understand that. butnow the tea party republicans have taken it to a whole new level because they're threateningeither to shut down the government, or shut down the entire economy by refusing to letamerica pay its bills for the first time in history -- unless i agree to gut a law thatwill help millions of people. the president: think about this. shuttingdown the government just because you don't like a law that was passed and found constitutional,and because you don't like the idea of giving
people new access to affordable health care-- what kind of idea is that? think about how that would impact maryland.this is an area where lots of people would be badly hurt by a government shutdown. alot of people around here wake up and go to serve their country every single day in thefederal government -- civilians who work at military bases, analysts, scientists, janitors,people who process new veterans' and survivors' benefit claims. they'd all have to stay homeand not get paid. and we all know it would badly damage the economy. whatever effect obamacare might have on theeconomy is far less than even a few days of government shutdown. (applause.) i mean, evenif you believe that obamacare somehow was
going to hurt the economy, it won't hurt theeconomy as bad as a government shutdown. and by the way, the evidence is that it's notgoing to hurt the economy. obamacare is going to help the economy. and it's going to helpfamilies and help businesses. (applause.) as for not letting america pay its bills,i have to say, no congress before this one has ever -- ever -- in history been irresponsibleenough to threaten default, to threaten an economic shutdown, to suggest america notpay its bills, just to try to blackmail a president into giving them some concessionson issues that have nothing to do with a budget. i mean, this is the united states of america.we're not a deadbeat nation. we don't run out on our tab. we don't not pay our note.we are the world's bedrock economy, the world's
currency of choice. the entire world looksto us to make sure that the world economy is stable. you don't mess with that. (applause.)you don't mess with that. and that's why i will not negotiate on anythingwhen it comes to the full faith and credit of the united states of america. (applause.) we're not going to submit to this kind oftotal irresponsibility. congress needs to pay our bills on time. congress needs to passa budget on time. congress needs to put an end to governing from crisis to crisis. (applause.) our focus as a country should be on creatingnew jobs and growing our economy, and helping young people learn, and restoring securityfor hardworking, middle-class families. (applause.)
this is not about the fortunes of any oneparty. this is not about politics. this is about the future of our country. if republicansdo not like the law, they can go through the regular channels and processes to try to changeit. that's why we have elections. so they can go through the normal processes and proceduresof a democracy, but you do not threaten the full faith and credit of the united statesof america. (applause.) and, meanwhile, we're going to keep implementingthe law. audience member: it's the law! the president: it's the law. and like i said,there are going to be some glitches along the way. every law has hiccups when it's firststarting off. people forget, by the way, medicare
part d -- passed by my predecessor, georgebush, passed by a republican house of representatives -- the prescription drug bill passed intolaw 10 years ago was even more unpopular than the affordable care act before it took intoeffect. everybody was saying what a disaster it was going to be. the difference was democratsworked with republicans to make it work even better. (applause.) steny remembers this.even though democrats weren't happy that the law wasn't paid for and was going to add hundredsof billions of dollars to the deficit, and we weren't negotiating a better deal withthe drug companies, everybody worked -- once it was the law -- to try to make it work.and today, about 90 percent of seniors like their prescription drug coverage.
so we may not get that same level of cooperationfrom republicans right now. but the good news is i believe eventually they'll come around.because medicare and social security faced the same kind of criticism. before medicarecame into law, one republican warned that "one of these days, you and i are going tospend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it once waslike in america when men were free." that was ronald reagan. and eventually, ronaldreagan came around to medicare and thought it was pretty good, and actually helped makeit better. so that's what's going to happen with theaffordable care act. and once it's working really well, i guarantee you they will notcall it obamacare. (laughter and applause.)
here is a prediction for you: a few yearsfrom now, when people are using this to get coverage and everybody is feeling pretty goodabout all the choices and competition that they've got, there are going to be a wholebunch of folks who say, yes, i always thought this provision was excellent. (laughter.)i voted for that thing. you watch. (laughter.) it will not be called obamacare. (laughter.) but i'm always willing to work with anybodyfrom either party. if you've got a serious idea for making the affordable care act better,or making our broader health care system better, i'm happy to work with you -- because that'swhat the majority of the american people want. they don't want posturing; they want governing.they don't want politics; they want us to
work together to make the lives of ordinaryamericans a little bit better, a little bit more secure. (applause.) so, maryland, i'm asking for your help. (applause.)i need your help. (applause.) we may have some very well-funded opponents. we may havesome very talkative opponents. but you're going to be the best, most credible messengersto spread the word about this law and all the benefits that the american people standto get and have earned. so tell your friends, tell your family. getcovered. get on that website. answer the questions of folks who don't know what this is all about.point them to healthcare.gov. teach them how to use the website. make sure they sign up.let's help our fellow americans get covered.
then let's keep on working to rebuild themiddle class. (applause.) let's go and focus on creating more good-paying jobs. let's buildmore ladders of opportunity for everybody willing to work hard. (applause.) let's makesure the united states of america keeps being a place where you can make it if you try. thank you, everybody. god bless you. god blessthe united states of america. (applause.)
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