Obama administration releases health care reform proposal

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Monday released a health care reform proposal in an attempt to save the bill that has been stuck in Congress since the Democratic Party lost the absolute majority in the Senate.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at a meeting with state governors in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, February 22, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

"President has now put forth a proposal that incorporates the work the House and the Senate have done and adds additional ideas from Republican members of Congress," said the proposal posted on the White House official website.

"The proposal will make health care more affordable, make health insurers more accountable, expand health coverage to all Americans, and make the health system sustainable, stabilizing family budgets, the federal budget and the economy," it said.

However, the proposal did not receive welcome from the Republican side.

"In short, President's proposal continues to defy the will of the American people and contradict longstanding federal policy by providing federal subsidies to private health plans that cover elective abortions," said House Republican Leader John Boehner.

He pointed out that the proposal still uses government funds to subsidize elective abortion, although it includes a "state op-out" provision if a state passes a law to prohibit insurance coverage of abortion.

"The president has crippled the credibility of this week's summit by proposing the same massive government takeover of healthcare based on a partisan bill the American people have already rejected," he added.

The proposal was made public days before a bipartisan meeting on the health care reform, which will be broadcast live across the nation.

President Obama hopes that Republicans can also make public their version of health reform proposal prior to the meeting to allow American public to be thoroughly informed of the issue, said a White House official earlier on Monday at a teleconference.

The proposal features five accomplishments that aim at putting American families and small business owners in control their own health care.