Earlier today, Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stopped by a gathering of health insurance executives in Washington to speak directly to the CEOs who have been fighting tooth and nail to block reform.

On Monday, insurance company executives came to D.C. to begin their week-long conference of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the lobbying arm of the nation's health insurance industry. While they've been in Washington, we learned that health insurance rates in Illinois are going up by as much as 60 percent. We learned that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield -- the company we’ve been hearing about due to their exorbitant rate hikes in California -- is raising rates for Virginians as well. And we learned that as insurers raise rates for consumers, AHIP is spending $1 million dollars on an ad blitz to try and block the President's plan for reform.

At the insurers conference today, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asked the CEOs to think about the frustration felt by families and small businesses in today’s broken health care system:

"When Americans have so few choices, can you blame them for being frustrated when their premiums go up ten times faster than the cost of health care?  Imagine how folks in Illinois might feel after opening the newspaper to see that profits for major insurance companies went up 56 percent last year only to get a letter the next day saying their premiums are going up by double digits?  Can you blame them for thinking the system’s broken when their health insurance – which is supposed to protect them from exorbitant health costs – still forces them to pay thousands of dollars out of their pocket each year?

I wanted to come talk to you today because I believe any conversation about how to fix our health insurance system has to start with asking how we can put these families and small business owners who feel so powerless in today’s health care markets back in control of their health care.”

She then challenged them to either continue their opposition to reform or work to help strengthen the President’s plan and help consumers:

"You can choose to continue your opposition to reform.  If you do and reform goes down in defeat, we know what will happen.  By next March, premiums will be taking an even bigger bite out of Americans’ wages.  More Americans will lose the security of employer-sponsored insurance.  More small businesses will be forced to shut down or cancel their employees’ coverage.  Parents and children with preexisting conditions will continue to be shut out of the insurance market.  And Americans will continue to live in fear of the next letter from their insurer announcing the latest premium hike.

 ...Then there is your other choice.

You can choose to take the millions of dollars you have stored away for your next round of ads to kill meaningful reform, and use them to start giving Americans some relief from their skyrocketing premiums.  Instead of spending your energy attacking the parts of the President’s proposal you don’t like, you can use it to strengthen the parts you do.

If you take this approach, you may give up some short-term profits.  But you will also be helping to create a sustainable health insurance market where all Americans will be able to buy coverage.  That’s better for the American people.  And it could be better for insurance companies too.”

Secretary Sebelius has been working to hold insurance companies accountable for their actions that hurt consumers while boosting their own profits. Following a meeting with insurance executives at the White House last week, Secretary Sebelius wrote a letter asking them to publicly justify their exorbitant premium increases.

From David Plouffe:

As the President has made clear, Americans deserve a final up-or-down vote on health reform. And the House is now expected to hold its final vote as soon as one week from today.

As we speak, insurance-industry lobbyists are gathering at the D.C. Ritz-Carlton to stage a last-minute blitz to block reform -- even as they jack up premiums by as much as 60% for small businesses and families across the country.

So starting today, we're launching an unprecedented week-long campaign sprint -- our "Final March for Reform." Each day until the vote, we'll feature a powerful new way for OFA supporters to speak out in our communities and weigh in directly with Congress.

Today, we'll start by spreading the facts about reform in our communities. Smears and falsehoods have clouded this debate -- Congress must understand that if they pass reform, their constituents will know the truth about what we've finally achieved. Click here to begin.

We've put together a simple summary of the President's proposal, a fact sheet to show friends and co-workers how the plan will specifically help them, posters to display, Facebook notes to post, and much more.

We're on the verge of solving a crisis that has vexed our nation for generations -- and eluded the best efforts of seven previous Presidents.

But our opponents will stop at nothing to distort the President's proposal and derail our progress. It may all come down to what we do together this week.

Today, it's time to show the insurance lobbyists that no smear campaign cooked up at a posh hotel can match the power of millions of regular citizens who are ready for change and committed to the truth.

Please join our truth squad -- and start spreading the facts today:

http://my.barackobama.com/DayOne

Thanks for making it possible,

David Plouffe

UPDATED: The even has now ended.

Right now, President Obama is speaking on health reform in Missouri.

Today, President Obama is back on the road to make the case for health insurance reform. On Monday, he spoke at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania -- today he'll be speaking at a high school in St. Charles, Missouri.

At 4:50 p.m. Eastern Time this afternoon, you can listen to the President's speech live.

 The President, seen through the eyepiece of a video camera, speaking on health reform earlier this week in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

The President made it clear on Monday that the time for passing reform is now:

I want you to stand with me and fight with me.   And I ask you to help us get us over the finish line these next few weeks.  The need is great.  The opportunity is here.  Let’s seize reform.  It’s within our grasp.

8.

That's the number of people each minute who are denied health coverage, charged a higher rate, or discriminated against due to a pre-existing condition. It's also the number of lobbyists hired by special interests to influence health reform for every member of Congress last year.

Under the President's proposal for health reform, which anti-reform lobbyists are doing everything they can to stop, you will never again be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

The White House is highlighting a new fact or figure each day to make the case for why we need to pass health reform now. You can show your support by changing your icon to today's number on Facebook or Twitter, and by spreading the word to family and friends.

Learn more here.

Starting today, WhiteHouse.gov is highlighting one key fact or figure each day to show how the numbers make the case for health reform.

Today's number is $1,115: the average premium for employer-sponsored family coverage per month last year. Annually, it adds up to $13,375 -- roughly the amount someone earning a minimum wage makes. If we do nothing on reform, a recent study found that expenses for Americans with health insurance could increase 35 percent over the next ten years.

Find out more on WhiteHouse.gov, and share today’s number with friends and family.

On the road in Glenside, Pennsylvania yesterday, President Obama called on Congress to pass reform and asked the American people to make their voices heard to help get the job done.

The Los Angeles Times reported from the President's speech in Glenside:

In an impassioned rally that evoked his campaign, President Obama left what he called the Washington "echo chamber" Monday and urged voters to knock on doors and make phone calls to embolden members of Congress to pass heathcare legislation.

Obama said that Washington pundits obsessed with analyzing the political repercussions of a yes or no vote on healthcare are distracting lawmakers from what's fundamentally at stake: If Congress fails to act, the president said, premiums will rise, insurers will deny coverage based on preexisting conditions and more people will be without insurance.

"They need to hear your voices because right now the Washington echo chamber is in full throttle," Obama told an audience of 1,800 at Arcadia University outside Philadelphia. "It is as deafening as it's ever been. And as we come to that final vote, that echo chamber is telling members of Congress, wait, think about the politics -- instead of thinking about doing the right thing."

In his speech, President Obama asked that everyone who believes that health reform is the right thing to do stand with him and fight during these final critical weeks.

Sign up here to join Organizing for America’s final march to help get health reform over the finish line, and stay tuned for national actions and local events near you.

Earlier today, President Obama left Washington to pay a visit to Glenside, Pennsylvania -- where he took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and made the case for why we need to pass health reform right now. In front of a crowd of about 1,800, the President highlighted recent news about insurance rate hikes and the health care status quo that helps insurance companies while failing ordinary Americans. He then went on to ask supporters to stand with him in these next few weeks by taking action and making their voices heard in support of reform.

The President made it clear that unless we increase competition, insurers would continue excessive rate increases that make many Americans unable to afford coverage:

Every year, the problem gets worse.  Every year, insurance companies deny more people coverage because they’ve got preexisting conditions.  Every year, they drop more people’s coverage when they get sick right when they need it most.  Every year, they raise premiums higher and higher and higher.  

Just last month, Anthem Blue Cross in California tried to jack up rates by nearly 40 percent -- 40 percent.  Anybody’s paycheck gone up 40 percent?

...These insurance companies have made a calculation. The other day, there was a conference call that was organized by Goldman Sachs. [On the call], an insurance broker was telling Wall Street investors how he expected things to be playing out over the next several years, and this broker said that insurance companies know they will lose customers if they keep on raising premiums, but because there’s so little competition in the insurance industry, they’re okay with people being priced out of the insurance market because, first of all, a lot of folks are going to be stuck, and even if some people drop out, they’ll still make more money by raising premiums on customers that they keep.  

And they will keep on doing this for as long as they can get away with it.  This is no secret.  They’re telling their investors this:  We are in the money; we are going to keep on making big profits even though a lot of folks are going to be put under hardship.

The President then asked everyone who supports reform to get involved now, in these next few weeks before a vote:

It’s time to make a decision.  The time for talk is over.  We need to see where people stand.  And we need all of you to help us win that vote.  So I need you to knock on doors.  Talk to your neighbors.  Pick up the phone.  When you hear an argument by the water cooler and somebody is saying this or that about it, say, no, no, no, no, hold on a second.  And we need you to make your voices heard all the way in Washington, D.C.  

They need to hear your voices because right now the Washington echo chamber is in full throttle.  It is as deafening as it’s ever been.  And as we come to that final vote, that echo chamber is telling members of Congress, wait, think about the politics -- instead of thinking about doing the right thing.  

… I don’t know how passing health care will play politically, but I do know that it’s the right thing to do.  It’s right for our families.  It’s right for our businesses.  It’s right for the United States of America.  And if you share that belief, I want you to stand with me and fight with me.   And I ask you to help us get us over the finish line these next few weeks.  The need is great.  The opportunity is here.  Let’s seize reform.  It’s within our grasp.

Read the President’s full speech here.

UPDATED: The event has now ended. Check back later today for highlights.

At 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time this morning, President Obama will speak on health insurance reform in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Before the event begins, take a second to check out a new blog post from White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, about more recent evidence that failure to pass reform is helping insurance companies while harming families and consumers:

The last few days have brought even more evidence that the health care status quo is working out great for the insurance companies – at the same time as it continues to fail American families and businesses. No wonder the insurance companies are spending millions and millions of dollars to block reform.

On Wednesday, a leading insurance broker laid out in clear terms what many Americans could already guess: the insurers’ monopoly is so strong that they can continue to jack up rates as much as they like – even if it means losing customers – and their profits will continue to soar under the status quo.

Read more here.

To mark today's 45th anniversary of the civil right march in Selma, Alabama—known as "Bloody Sunday"—President Obama released the following statement:

On this day, 45 years ago, hundreds of brave men and women gathered in the small town of Selma, Alabama to announce to the world that they, too, sang America. As they marched from Selma to Montgomery, fully aware of the danger that lay ahead, these heroes let their feet speak in a way that their voices alone could not.

Today, as we gather in this hallowed place on the anniversary of what would come to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” let us honor the memory of all those who were shoved and beaten within an inch of their lives because they believed in the simple truth that every American – regardless of race – had the right to cast a vote; had the right to live free; had the right to reach for their dreams.

It would take the marchers three tries to make it to Montgomery in March of 1965 – and even longer to secure the rights they fought so hard for. Along the way, leaders were born – men like John Lewis, who endured taunts and beatings with the same quiet grace and dignity and determination that so many of us admire today. For Congressman Lewis and so many like him, no sacrifice was too great to make in freedom’s cause.

The Movement also had a partner in the White House – a President who declared “we shall overcome,” and who understood that our nation could not move forward as long as any of its citizens were held back. President Johnson helped deliver on that promise by signing the Voting Rights Act in August of that year – a law that aligned this nation more closely with its founding ideals of justice and equality for all.

Today, we stand on the shoulders of all the Moses Generation that made the Voting Rights Act possible, that made the Civil Rights Act possible, that made the civil rights movement possible. Yet with all of the progress that has been made since that terrible day in Selma, we also know that there is still much work to be done, by us – the Joshua generation.

Since taking office, I have never forgotten that responsibility. That’s why the first bill I signed as President helped ensure that never again will someone be forced to do the same work for less pay simply because of their gender. That’s why we continue to give the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Holder, the tools to protect voting rights and defend fair practices across our nation. And that’s why last month, we sought final resolution with the nation’s black farmers who had suffered indignation for years because of the misguided actions of their government.

But we must also remember that the mission at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement was never simply about obtaining the right to sit at a lunch counter or ride on a bus. It was about giving Americans of every race, faith, and station, the right to fulfill their God-given potential. That’s why we are making unprecedented investments in the education of our children; in guaranteeing quality, affordable health care for every American; and in working to create good, well-paying jobs that will help build the economy of the 21st century.

So let us honor the men and women who marched into history so many years ago – both those who are with us today, and those who long ago gave their lives to perfect our union. Let us remember their courage in the face of danger, and recommit ourselves to the journey ahead. Because I am confident that if we stand together in the Joshua Generation as the Moses Generation did before us – then, in the words of a song we know so well, we will face the rising sun of a new day begun.

Despite all the progress and improvements we’ve made, Republicans in Congress insist that the only acceptable course on health care is to start over. But you know what? The insurance companies aren’t starting over. I just met with some of them on Thursday and they couldn’t give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums – by as much as 60% in states like Illinois. If we do not act, they will continue to do this. They will continue to drop people’s coverage when they need it. They will continue to refuse coverage based on pre-existing conditions. These practices will continue.

That’s why we must act now. That’s why the United States Congress owes the American people an up-or-down vote on health insurance reform. 

...I know it has been a long and hard road to this point. And we are not finished with our journey just yet. But we are close. We are very close. And so I ask Congress to finish its work. I ask them to give the American people an up or down vote. And let’s show our citizens that it’s still possible for Washington to look out for their interests and their future.

This morning, President Obama stopped by a small energy efficiency business in Virginia and delivered remarks on creating clean energy jobs.

After highlighting his broader agenda to create jobs and provide relief to out-of-work Americans, President Obama laid out his plans for clean energy job creation:

The jobs of tomorrow will be jobs in the clean energy sector, and this company is a great emblem for that.  That's why my administration is taking steps to support a thriving clean energy industry across this country -- an industry that's making solar panels, and building wind turbines, producing cutting-edge batteries for fuel-efficient cars and trucks, and helping consumers get more control over their energy bills.

And that's also why earlier this week I urged Congress to enact a new initiative we're calling Homestar that would offer homeowners rebates for making their homes more energy-efficient -- rebates worth up to $1,500 for individual home upgrades and up to $3,000 for retrofitting their entire home.  So if they're getting this good information from OPOWER and they see that, boy, that drafty window is costing me a couple of hundred bucks a year, they're now going to have an incentive to go to Home Depots or go to Lowes to hire a certified contractor and make the changes that will ultimately pay for themselves, improve our environment, and improve our economy.

Read the President's full remarks here.

Earlier this week, one Republican senator single-handedly blocked a number of critical priorities for those hit hardest by today's recession. Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky jeopardized temporary unemployment assistance for hundreds of thousands, COBRA health insurance, Department of Transportation jobs, and pay for doctors who care for seniors and veterans. This was an example of partisan politics at its worst -- and one of the reasons President Obama was elected to change the ways of Washington.

Despite Senator Bunning's attempt to block the bill, on Tuesday Senate Democrats successfully overcame his obstruction and passed the temporary unemployment insurance extension, which the President signed into law later that night.

But even after the bill was passed, assistance for around 100,000 folks was delayed.

The Christian Science Monitor reports:

The passage and enactment of the legislation means that state agencies can begin sending checks to thousands of unemployed Americans who were in danger of losing their benefit if Congress did not act.

Groups involved with unemployment issues believe passage of the extension may have allowed some states enough time to cut checks for those who are already eligible to receive the extended benefits. However, almost half of the 200,000 people per week affected by the extension are filing for the first time.

“Those are the ones we are worried about not getting their checks this week,” says Andrew Stettner of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), which advocates for the unemployed. “We know there will be delays.”

As hundreds of thousands of American continue to look for work, President Obama has made job creation his top priority this year. In an op-ed, Paul Krugman explains how unemployment assistance helps individuals looking for work while at the same time fostering jobs and boosting the economy:

Take the question of helping the unemployed in the middle of a deep slump. What Democrats believe is what textbook economics says: that when the economy is deeply depressed, extending unemployment benefits not only helps those in need, it also reduces unemployment. That’s because the economy’s problem right now is lack of sufficient demand, and cash-strapped unemployed workers are likely to spend their benefits. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office says that aid to the unemployed is one of the most effective forms of economic stimulus, as measured by jobs created per dollar of outlay.

Next week, the Senate will consider a one-year extension of unemployment benefits.

Earlier today, President Obama stopped by a meeting with CEOs of the nation's largest health insurance companies, and asked them to justify their exorbitant insurance rate increases. Following recent news of Anthem Blue Cross of California raising rates by as much as 39 percent, the President has made reining in these rate increases a key part of his health reform plan.

At today's meeting, the President brought a letter he received from Natoma Canfield of Medina, Ohio, which he read to the insurance executives to highlight what’s at stake in this debate:

"Dear President Obama, I am 50 years old.  I was diagnosed with carcinoma 16 years ago, and following my divorce 12 years ago I became self-employed.  After my COBRA benefits ran out, I was able to find costly but affordable health insurance.  As a responsible individual, I've struggled to maintain my individual coverage and have increased my deductible and out-of-pocket limits in an attempt to control my costs and keep my health insurance.

"Last year, 2009, my insurance premium was increased over 25 percent, even though I increased my deductible and out-of-pocket to the highest limits available.  I paid out over $6,075.24 in premiums, $2,415.26 for medical care, $225 in co-pays, and $1,500 for prescriptions.  I never reached my deductible of $2,500, so the insurance company only paid out a total of $935.32 to my providers.

"I must repeat, in 2009, my insurance company received $6,075.24 in premiums and paid out only $935.32.  Incredibly, I have been notified that my premium for the next year -- for next year, 2010, has been increased over 40 percent to $8,496.24.  This is the same insurance company I've been with for over 11 cancer-free years.

"I need your health reform bill to help me.  I simply can no longer afford to pay for my health care costs.  Thanks to this incredible premium increase demanded by my insurance company, January will be my last month of insurance.

"I live in the house my mother and father built in 1958, and I am so afraid of the possibility I might lost this family heirloom as a result of being forced to drop my health care insurance."

Following yesterday's announcement on moving forward with health reform, President Obama recorded a special video message for OFA supporters:

After calling on Congress to move ahead with a vote, the President laid out the forces opposing reform and asked supporters for their help in this final push:

"The special interests are marshaling their forces for one last fight to save the status quo. We cannot let that happen. That’s why I’m asking you to summon the energy, the commitment, and the drive that has fueled this movement since day one. I need you to work the phones, walk the streets, talk to your neighbors, and debunk the myths about our plans in this final march for reform. And I need your help in urging all Americans who want this reform to make their voices heard too: every parent, every business owner, every patient, every doctor, every nurse."

You can sign up here to stand with the President and fight for reform in these final weeks -- and stay tuned for national actions and local events in your community.

Our congress men and woman have the guts to ask the hard questions.

At 3:40 p.m. Eastern Time this afternoon, White House Health Director Nancy-Ann DeParle and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius are hosting a live chat to answer your questions about the President's health reform proposal and holding insurance companies accountable.

 Join the live chat at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Secretary Sebelius will also talk about her meeting with health insurance CEOs today, where she asked for an explanation on their recent exorbitant premium rate hikes.

Here is some of the news following President Obama's speech calling for swift action on passing health reform legislation:

Boston Globe – “Obama steps up health care pressure: Tells Democrats it’s time to bypass GOP objections”

President Obama increased the pressure on Congress yesterday to take an up-or-down vote on his health care package, calling on Senate Democrats to bypass a Senate filibuster and revive the stalled legislation over the objections of Republicans.   Obama’s comments, the strongest public tactical direction he has offered in the 15-month battle over health care overhaul, were welcomed by Democrats... 

San Francisco Chronicle – “President Obama pushes for vote on health care”

Making an impassioned demand for swift action on health care, President Obama on Wednesday called on Congress to vote on sweeping legislation "in the next few weeks," even if that requires Democrats to move forward without Republican support.  It was the strongest, most specific language the president has used to drive his health care plans forward. And he set a clear timeline for wrapping up the drama that has now run for more than a year. 

PA – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – “Seniors can’t afford to wait for health care reform”

President Barack Obama yesterday renewed his call for Congress to enact real health reform this year. I hope the members of Congress heed his challenge. America's seniors should hope so, too. The health care proposal under consideration would increase funding for the Medicare drug benefit, create more options for seniors who rely on home and community-based care and strengthen the safety net for those who require long-term services and supports. These initiatives would benefit seniors enormously. Consider the Medicare drug benefit's notorious "doughnut hole." Today, once seniors have spent $2,830 on drugs, they're forced to cover the full cost of their medicines until their out-of-pocket expenses have reached $4,550. This coverage gap can make prescription drugs prohibitively expensive for many seniors. For many, it means the choice between food and medicine. The health care proposal would shrink the doughnut hole.

New York Times – “The Democrats’ Choice”

Republicans’ lock-step opposition to comprehensive health care reform seems to be as much a matter of politics as principle.  The multiple sniping has forced the Democrats to consider amending the Senate bill by “reconciliation,” a procedure that can sidestep a Republican filibuster.  Don’t be misled by Republican charges that the president is planning to “ram through” reform with a rarely used maneuver. The Senate already has approved its bill with a 60-vote majority. Both parties have used reconciliation in the past. The Republicans happily used it to approve the Bush tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. 

Washington Post – “Members of Congress get the same choices as the rest of us”

"My proposal," Obama said today, "would give uninsured individuals and small-business owners the same kind of choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves." It's worth noting that this is more than a rhetorical flourish. It's Section 1312 of the bill…”

Shortly after delivering his remarks on health reform, President Obama sent the following email to OFA supporters:

Last Thursday's first-of-its-kind summit capped off a debate that has lasted nearly a year. Every idea has now been put on the table. Every argument has been made. Both parties agree that the status quo is unacceptable and gets more dire each day. Today, I want to state as clearly and forcefully as I know how: Now is the time to make a decision about the future of health care in America.

The final proposal I've put forward draws on the best ideas from all sides, including several put forward by Republicans at last week's summit. It will put Americans in charge of their own health care, ensuring that neither government nor insurance company bureaucrats can ration, deny, or put out of financial reach the care our families need and deserve.

I strongly believe that Congress now owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. Reform has already passed the House with bipartisan support and the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. Now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that has been routinely used and has passed such landmark measures as welfare reform and both Bush tax cuts.

Earlier today, I asked leaders in both houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And now, I'm asking you, the members of the Organizing for America community, to raise your voice and do the same.

The final march for reform has begun, and your participation is crucial. Please commit to join with me to take reform across the finish line.

Essentially, my proposal would change three things about the current health care system:

First, it would protect all Americans from the worst practices of insurance companies. Never again will the mother with breast cancer have her coverage revoked, see her premiums arbitrarily raised, or be forced to live in fear that a pre-existing condition will bar her from future coverage.

Second, my proposal would give individuals and small businesses the same choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves. And my proposal says that if you still can't afford the insurance in this new marketplace, we will offer you tax credits based on your income -- tax credits that add up to the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.

Finally, my proposal would bring down the cost of health care for everyone -- families, businesses, and the federal government -- and bring down our deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. These savings mean businesses small and large will finally be freed up to create jobs and increase wages. With costs currently skyrocketing, reform is vital to remaining economically strong in the years and decades to come.

In the few crucial weeks ahead, you can help make sure this proposal becomes law. Please sign up to join the Organizing for America campaign in the final march for reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/commit

When I talked about change on the campaign, this is what I was talking about: coming together to solve a huge problem that has been troubling America for 100 years and standing up to the special interests to deliver a brighter, smarter future for generations to come.

I look forward to signing this historic reform into law. And when I do, it will be because your organizing played an essential role in making change possible.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama