Mitt Romney to deliver 'major' health care reform speech Thursday in Ann Arbor
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a likely Republican presidential candidate, plans to unveil his health care reform proposals in a speech Thursday afternoon at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor.
File photo | Grand Rapids Press
The speech — set for 2 p.m. Thursday — comes as Romney is viewed as a front-runner in a Republican presidential field that is still taking shape. Political analysts have said that Romney may face challenges in explaining Massachusetts' health care reform to voters.
A Time Magazine blog described the speech as a "major health care address."
A spokesman for Romney declined to comment further on the speech. In a release, Romney's team said his reforms would "make healthcare more like a consumer market and less like a government program" by giving states more power to make choices on how to manage Medicaid, providing a tax deduction to workers who purchase their own health insurance and reducing the number of medical malpractice law suits.
A U-M spokesperson said the College Republicans were helping to coordinate Romney's appearance, but College Republican leaders were not immediately available to provide more information.
In 2008, Romney won Michigan's Republican presidential primary but eventually lost the nomination to U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.
Comments
Oregon39_Michigan7
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
Don't like the mandate in the Federal Health Care Reform Act? Guess what then-Govenor Romney passed .... RUT ROW
maallen
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
And look at what's failing in Massachusetts. The very thing he passed. And the very thing Obamacare is modeled after!
Trouble
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 8:33 p.m.
Mitt goes into business and is successful. Mitt runs for Gov. of Democratic (Kennedy) State; and is successful. Mitt asked to fix debt ridden Olympics; and is successful. Mitt would like to be Pres. and would be successful. Mitt not get chance. Between " Tea Party ", Sara, conservatives, etc.; conservative vote will split in half, and Pres. O. will walk back in without breaking a sweat. Please Do Math!
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 9:11 p.m.
Part of Mitt's problem is that he is SPRINTING away from his very moderate--almst progressive--record in Massachusetts. He needs to do that in order to get the RepubliKan nomination, but conservatives don't trust him. And, if by some miracle, he were to get the nomination, he'll have a hard time re-branding himself as a moderate, something he'll need to do to get centrist voters. Good Night and Good Luck
alan
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:48 p.m.
@Billy Buchanan- Could you please reference your source for the assertion that care is atrocious? Canada has one of the highest levels of satisfaction with health care. Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and many other European countries all have systems that work very well. Germany did it differently, leaving insurance companies as the intermediary. Maybe the US could learn from mistakes (most notably the UK) and try to do it correctly.
Billy Buchanan
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 3:30 p.m.
Universal Health Care is an extremely bad idea. Look at other Countries that have it. Canada is one example along with lots of other European Countries. The reported care is atrocious and the waits for a health care specialist can be months. I can't imagine anyone wanting a Health Care System like that.
John Q
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.
It's terrible that in other countries, health care costs less than it does in the US, that more people are covered and that people don't have to go without health care just because they loose their job or their employer can no longer afford to provide coverage. What horrible systems. I'm glad that we have our system where we can enrich the insurance companies and health care providers while millions of Americans don't have the guarantee of getting quality health care.
BhavanaJagat
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 3:19 p.m.
This speech will be delivered at University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center and I would suspect that the Governor has failed to make the correct diagnosis of the problem that he wants to address. If he has proper understanding of health care issues, he would have chosen a different place to state his reform plan. America needs Primary Care where the caregiver would diligently work with people to promote positive and good health and reduce the need for expensive hospital admissions. The problem is that of ineffective Primary Care and lack of emphasis to promote Positive Good Health.
David Briegel
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:49 p.m.
Ghost, you really have accurately described the southern strategy of the modern TeaPublican party. I would also add the pilgrimage to those fine upstandin' pseudo-Christians to Bob Jones Univ. I mean, where do you think the southern racists went? Does anyone think any racist would remain a Democrat and support the party of LBJ or Barack Obama? Silly. While all TeaPublicans aren't racist, they have certainly made room in their big tent and made welcome all the racists. No self hating racist would ever be a member of the Democratic Party! Ain't no need to sit and wonder why babe........
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:01 p.m.
Mitt Romney is likely the only Republican "candidate" who has a chance to defeat Obama, yet he'll never get the Republican nomination because he's Mormon and because of his moderate record as governor of Massachusetts. Speculation is that both Palin and Huckabee will soon announce that they're not running and that their supporters will move to . . . wait for it . . . Michelle Bachman, and that she will become the frontrunner. Tells us much about where the heart and soul of the RepubliKan Party lies today. Good Night and Good Luck
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
I wrote: "Speculation is that both Palin and Huckabee will soon announce that they're not running and that their supporters will move to . . . wait for it . . . Michelle Bachman, and that she will become the frontrunner." "Tells us much about where the heart and soul of the RepubliKan Party lies today." The second sentence refers to the first. What in the first suggests racism? Are you suggesting that Bachman is a racist? Heavens to Betsy!!! Inquiring minds want to know. Good Night and Good Luck
djm12652
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 8:09 p.m.
Jen, Jen, Jen...what a cop out! What the poster is doing, is calling "Republicans" racist, and not in any historical context. And as a registered voter that is conservative, I take offense at being called a racist and your lack of concern for my sensitivity. This poster has said in the remark "Tells us much about where the heart and soul of the RepubliKan Party lies today". Nothing historical about this...shame on you for justifying the hate remarks.
Jen Eyer
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 7:06 p.m.
Discussions about racism are allowed, particularly in a historical context.
djm12652
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:45 p.m.
How is the moderator allowing an admitted hate/racist remark to be made and still in print? I guess it's only a hate/racist remark if I'm saying something? Please enlighten me on the guidelines and protocols for allowing inflammatory hate/ racist remarks....just curious...if I made fun of any other political party and linked hatred speech with the NAACP, would my comments stand? Me thinks not...
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.
And, for the record, FEWER Republicans than Democrats, in both Houses, voted for the CR Act of 1964. It is true that the vast majority of Southern Democrats voted against the measure, as did EVERY southern Republican. Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964#Vote_totals" rel='nofollow'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964#Vote_totals</a> And what is also true is that, in the intervening nearly 50 years, white southerners have gone from voting solidly Democratic to voting solidly RepubliKan. Gee. Wonder Why? Again, look up Strom Thurmond and the Dixiecrats. Good Night and Good Luck
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
"More republicans voted in favor of the 1964 civil rights act than democrats, Dem Sen Robert Byrd was an actual member of the KKK." Very good on a selective history. Yes, yes, yes. Bush appointed Condi Rice. Proves that the entire RepubliKan Party is in lockstep with Dr. King's ideals. While you're Googling things, look up: Strom Thurmond Dixiecrat Party Southern Strategy Reagan at Philidelphia, MS Willie Horton With the passage of the CR Act of 1964 and the VR Act of 1965, and the Goldwater candidacy of 1964, RepubliKans have understood there was gold to be made in the South by exploiting White anger about those two pieces of legislation. You want to call it racism? Fine by me. Good Night and Good Luck
andys
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:20 p.m.
Ed went back to check the memo on the capital K thing, he's not sure what it was supposed to mean.
Diagenes
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:30 p.m.
Ed was the capital K in RepubliKan a typo or a pathetic attempt to insinuate republicans are racists. More republicans voted in favor of the 1964 civil rights act than democrats, Dem Sen Robert Byrd was an actual member of the KKK, no democrat president ever appointed an African American to be Sec. of State, a republican George Bush did it twice. Democrat policies have done more to harm the black community than any group of racists could dream of. Just look to Detroit for an example.
Technojunkie
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 3:54 a.m.
It's interesting how this nation got by just fine for nearly two centuries before LBJ decided that we needed federal "help" with health care and things started getting expensive. I'd complain that there's no constitutional justification for any of it but most of what the federal government does today is unconstitutional and outside of Ron Paul fans and a few others no one cares. But if you really must have taxpayer funded national health care: high deductible insurance paired with a Health Savings Account, with refundable tax credits to help the poor pay for it. Efficient and flexible. Not as cheap as it used to be because Obama mandated lower maximum deductibles, which really hikes the cost, but it's still the best way to go.
John Q
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.
"It's interesting how this nation got by just fine for nearly two centuries before LBJ decided that we needed federal "help" with health care and things started getting expensive." Right and the US never had any debt until the 20th Century. We have a national health care model because it's what voters wanted and still want today. If you think your idea is so grand, go out and sell it to voters.
Lac Court Orilles
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:58 a.m.
If Mitt Romney gets elected, he will put the few remaining middle class citizens in the poor house for good. Then the United States will be like Haiti were the top 1% live in million dollar homes as the other 99% try to find their next meal.
David Briegel
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 1:04 a.m.
Next to your proof of trickle down!
maallen
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:37 p.m.
And where is your proof of this?
MARK
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:44 a.m.
You could fund a lot of health care if you instituted some tort reform. $150-200 BILLION is spent on defensive testing and treatment that does not help patients but provides doctors with a sense that they are covering their butts. Once you decide that everyone is entitled to some health care you could fund a lot of it if you took away the medical malpractice lottery. At the same time with universal coverage you could insure that patients who were injured through mistakes would get what they needed with out sharing 30-50% with an attorney. Lawyers will attempt to confuse you by saying that malpractice premiums and payouts are less than 1% of the cost of health care. That is true but the real cost and waste is in the defensive practice.
John Q
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:43 p.m.
Can we apply the same rules to the insurance companies and they hundreds of billions they add on in unnecessary administrative overhead?
mich9fan3
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:17 a.m.
...shouldn't Mitt Romney avoid the entire topic of healthcare at all cost, seeing as everybody knows the plan he passed in his own state was very similar to Obamacare, which he claims he hates?
1bit
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:11 a.m.
I like Ann Arbor being the site of any "major" address. I am eager to hear a real alternative to the Affordable Care Act. President Obama has already he is open to states fashioning their own health care systems as long as it meets the federal objectives. Before naysaying, I think it would make sense to give the man a chance to speak. He has already fashioned a health care system in Massachusetts that became the underpinnings of the federal law.
djm12652
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:38 p.m.
1bit...the reason some are critical of Romney, is not because of what happened while he was governor or anything else, but moreso because he is not a liberal...whether one calls him a conservative, moderate, ultra conservative...if he's not a liberal, a lot of people in this town will assume he is an ignorant, gun toting, meat eatin loser...er...non-liberal
maallen
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:37 p.m.
The problem is the Massachusetts health care system has failed. And it is scary to know that Obama and the democrats followed Massachusetts system.
1bit
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:12 a.m.
already "said" /sorry
Dan
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 11:53 p.m.
The most important moment of the entire 2012 election race thus far is happening this Thursday! <a href="http://mittromneycentral.com/2011/05/10/romney-to-deliver-major-health-care-address-thursday-51211/" rel='nofollow'>http://mittromneycentral.com/2011/05/10/romney-to-deliver-major-health-care-address-thursday-51211/</a> Let's get this thing started! We can't spend any more time on fools like Trump if we're going to be serious about beating President Obama! I can't wait for Thursday!
Trouble
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
Dan is a smart man. Mitt is smart and can help fix economy. A republican who was successful in a democatic (Ted Kennedy) state, Mitt can get (Olympics?) job DONE! Give him a chance.
Rachel
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 11:12 p.m.
"Mitt Romney Haunted By Past Of Trying To Help Uninsured Sick People" ~ Onion.com That kind of sums it up. Can someone explain this mentality? Republican's blocked the public option, and then scream about "their rights being violated" because they have to purchase health care. In CUBA a $25 dollar inhaler In America costs 5 cents over there! Why don't we have strict price controls on monopoly drug companies?
maallen
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 1:23 p.m.
David, Really? You are referring to U.N's flawed data as proof that Cuba has better infant mortality rate? Way to bring in Canada to the conversation...Canada, who is moving away from National Health Care and going toward a private system because 1)Canada no longer can afford free healthcare and 2) the services being provided under the canada health system is leading to long wait times, too few medical machines, etc. Yeah, Canada has such a great system over there that my nephew (who lives there) had to come to the United States for an MRI (tumor in his head) because in Canada he had to wait for over a year in order to get an MRI done. Wow great system that is!
David Briegel
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 1:01 a.m.
Yeah, awful Cuba is better at infant mortality than America. Of course those babies are wanted. It is only the unwanted babies that are of concern to anti-choice activists! And drugs are cheaper in Canada and most everywhere else!
maallen
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.
Really? You are comparing Cuba's failed national healthcare to the United States? If Cuba's system is so great, then why are they moving away from it?
eagleman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 4 a.m.
They also have an autocratic government, no freedom of speech, and a terrible infrastructure. Oh and their economy is doing so poorly that they having to make adjustments to their version of socialism. Yeah, let's be like Cuba, where people drive cars from the 1950's and worship a Leader. How 1984.
Cash
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 8:33 p.m.
Obamaacare? LOL So even Little Mitt admits Obama cares.....every Republican candidate is looking out for big insurance.
David Briegel
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.
Who ever said there should be NO corporations? Ever?
eagleman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 4:07 a.m.
Well, David, without corporations or business there cannot be any national health care as no money would be generated to be taxed. Why is it that you anto-corporatists are so blind to tha fact that business is what makes all of your designs possible? There are many questions about nationalized health care.Independent thinkers know this. Unfortunatel, you people are slaves to an ideology. You are more alike Republicans then you are different.
David Briegel
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 8:43 p.m.
That is all they 'CARE" about. And the resulting campaign loot! Corporate Owned, lock, stock and two smokin' barrells!
Cash
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 8:32 p.m.
Nothing Little Mitt says is "major". Sorry.
MyOpinion
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 6:56 p.m.
Romney rightfully has a 'malleable' reputation. As the Massachusetts governor, or maybe candidate for Senate in MA, he supported gay marriage; in the Iowa primaries he was defiantly against homosexuals. He comes up with a health care plan with a mandatory premium in MA and now he is against his own plan. Many Democrats would have preferred a single payer plan, but the Romney plan was adopted and now labeled Obamacare. He would be believable if he had argued for "states-rights" in regards to health care; what works for MA won't work in Wyoming. But then again, how can Republicans be in support of "states-rights" when they have the national "Defense of Marriage Act."
eagleman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 3:58 a.m.
Liberals are no different. They trumpet "human rights" but advocate for abortion which is the destruction of life at its most basic level. Yeha, you people have no room to talk.
A2K
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 7:35 p.m.
The GOP only trumpet State's rights when it suits them (see recent debacle with not allowing same-sex marriages on military bases in state's where gay marriage is legal).
Ignatz
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 6:44 p.m.
Let's see, what would he possibly propose? "Fellow Americans, you have two choices for excellent health. First, get rich and buy good care. Second, don't get rich and stay healthy, because you can't afford to get better." I guess there's always the third of applying to Blackwater Health System's SoylentGreenCare.
djm12652
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 5:51 p.m.
but don't forget Ignatz, it's the rich buying the Cadillac plans with a hefty tax on the premiums that will be funding everything else...except for the UAW, they have an exemption from the tax...of course.
eagleman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 3:57 a.m.
Ye,s because nationalized health care is perfect. Oh, wait it isn't. Long lines with limited options when it comes to live-saving procedures. England is having problems paying for their national health care. The government rarely does things efficiently. SO why do you think they will do health care efficiently?
Marvin Face
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:21 a.m.
David, didn't you get the memo? Its "TeaPibliKans" now. We all need to be singing from the same sheet music. Get with the program!
David Briegel
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
marvin, hope you never need a plan B. TeaPublicans will frown on you freeloading.
Marvin Face
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.
I chose the "get rich and buy good care" option. Its working out pretty good. More people should choose it.
Roadman
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 5:49 p.m.
Because of the soft economy, Romney could beat Obama in 2012, but if their is significant improvement in the economy, Obama could be a shoo-in as Reagan was in 1984.
Will
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 5:42 p.m.
Everyone has been waiting for Mitt to say something major about something....anything.
HaeJee
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.
"present his plan to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that lower costs and empower states to craft their own health care solutions." I find it amusing how conservatives now call universal healthcare, "Obamacare" as a way to give it a negative image. Romney is the least extreme of the GOP candidates, but doubt that he will get the support to win the primary within his conservative group because he isn't "traditional" enough. I am disappointed on how he is back tracking on his own healthcare plan, just to appease Republicans. As an independent voter, I cannot support the GOP when they have candidates like Palin and Trump playing games and making a mockery of the U.S. political system.
Atticus F.
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 6:51 p.m.
They used to call it Hillary care/Clinton care, but they had to change the name after Obama won the primary.
alan
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 5:24 p.m.
Only in America. I think the first question to be discussed is whether we believe that health care is a marketable commodity or a social obligation. Band aid fixes to help pay the outrageous runaway costs do nothing to address the fundamental problem. My favorite example is pediatric antibiotics for my daughter. $60 at the Meijer pharmacy. I went to my veterinarian and paid $2. Same stuff from the same factory, just labeled differently. Let's figure out if we think everyone deserves health care instead of trying to figure out how to keep helping a few get richer.
Townie
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
Remember that the Republicans under Bush passed the Medicare pharmacy act hoping it would win seniors votes and understated the actual cost by hundreds of millions. Then they put in the stipulation that Medicare couldn't negotiate the pharmacy prices (to please their pharmacy campaign contributors). The VA pays WAY less - we could cut the deficit big time by adopting the VA prices but that won't happen with the Republicans controlling the House and Senate.
northside
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.
This should be amusing. As Guv Romney passed a plan - supported by many Republicans at the time - with a lot of similarities to Obama's. What could have been his greatest strength as a candidate, sensible health care reform, has turned into one of his greatest liabilities in the primary.
maallen
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:26 p.m.
That's because the healthcare that passed under Gov Romney, which is similar to Obamacare, is not working. You would think people would listen and not repeat history.
Joe
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 4:56 p.m.
Who else wants to stage a demonstration to support universal health care?
eagleman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 4:02 a.m.
Who wants to protest a protest? I do. I'm tired of intolerant liberalism. It is high time people start demanding liberals live up to their words of "celebrating diversity". Diversity in this instance meaning political opinions.
lugemachine
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 4:34 p.m.
So Romney's press release actually used the word "Obamacare"?? You lost me right there, Mitt! Must admit, though.. Mitt's an excellent public speaker. I wonder if he employs the old "envision your audience in their underwear" technique. I wonder if he envisions everyone in magic underwear...
Tom Joad
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.
Milquetoast Mitt doesn't have a prayer against Obama...The Republicans have no viable candidate, except Ron Paul, but he'll never get the nomination. We're stuck with O.
Oregon39_Michigan7
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 8:47 p.m.
Ron Paul isn't a Republican, he's a true libertarian, who sticks to his beliefs.
Brad
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 5:48 p.m.
So how do "viable" and "never get the nomination" actually fit together?