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- 2 - in general~ terms, but in the details. while I've been working on the budget and the re-inventing g,overnment project and all the things we're doing, - you know - I may not know all the answers, so, if someone asks me a question I can't answer, I brought Mr. (Inaudible) and a lot of our crew down here tonight, and during the breaks, I'll try to get the answer. I'll just tell them, I just don't know. TOM FRIEDMAN - NEW YQRK TIMES: This is Mr. Clinton's format and - um - this certainly plays to his strength. That's for sure. ANN DEVROY- WASHINGTON POST: I think he knows his facts better than any President I've seen on a domestic subject. I think we're going to have a lot of questions. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: It's going to be a pretty tough crowd, I think. KOPPEL: Do you think so? UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: Yeah. And I'd like to ask him, how he sees home care ... UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: I just wonder what this is going to do to his deficit reduction bill. UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: We want to know if President Clinton's plan will make the temporary job services accountable for their health insurance. PRESIDENT CLINTON: jWhat I want people to know tonight is that - that a -- first of all, this is by far the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken, to study and resolve the problems of the American health care system. That we're determined to keep what is right with the system. And that we're taking great care with this to do it right. (OVERLAPPING VOICES) KOPPEL: All of those comments were recorded just minutes before air time. Those were The President, members of The White House Corps, and members of our audience, here in Tampa. And now, ladies and gentlemen, here, joining us live in Tampa, The President of the United States. - (APPLAUSE/MUSIC) ANNOUNCER: This is an ABC News Special Edition of Night Line. A Town Meeting. Health Care: The Clinton Prescription. Now, reporting live from the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Ted

- 3 - Koppel. TED KOPPEL - ANCHOR: Well, Mr. President, Welcome. A standing ovation. It's got to be down-hill from here on in. (LAUGHTER) PRESIDENT CLINTON: Oh, ho! Well, a lot of the work is still to be done. KOPPEL: Indeed. I'm going to begin with what may seem like a rather trivial thing. Although, it really wasn't trivial to you yesterday. There you were, you were in front of a Joint-Session of Congress. You had the Joint Chiefs of Staff there. You had your Cabinet there. You were talking to tens of millions of people and you step up to the podium and if you'd be good enough to take a look at one of those monitors there, we're going to rua the video. (APPLAUSE) KOPPEL: What did'you see? Actual:y you can look at that one over there. What were you seeing as you looked out there? (APPLAUSE) PRESIDENT CLINTON: You can see the teleprompters there. Can you see it folks, that little plate there? Now watch. (LAUGHTER) PRESIDENT CLINTON: I'm telling the Vice President how they've got the wrong speech on the teleprompter. (LAUGHTER) PRESIDENT CLINTON: He said, that's impossible. I said, "you're not reading it. Read it. Read it." That's what I said to him. (LAUGHTER/APPLAUSE) PRESIDENT CLINTON: So, it turned out that we had -- that the people with our communications department had typed in the speech for the teleprompter on a disc that had also had my State of the Union Speech in February. And when the disc was called up, it started at the State of the Union instead of at the Health Care Speech and I thought to myself, that was a pretty good speech, but not good enough to get advice(?). (LAUGHTER)

PRESiDENT CLINTON: So, that's what happened. KOPPEL: When I was looking at The First Lady there, you must've talked to 'her later on, it was almost as though she was telepathic. She looked worried. She knew there was something wrong. PRESIDENT CLINTON: She knew there was something wrong. My daughter, actually, watched at home, told me, she also sensed there was something wrong. And I just decided I was going to give the talk. I mean, I had - you know - I didn't internalize it, I had worked on writing it with our folks. The only problem is when you have to go through a lot of points, and you can't just read it, so, I would just look at the first line and try to recall from memory. I didn't want to miss anything. And the other problem was if the teleprompter goes off, that's one thing, you just look at the audience, just like I'm looking at you. But imagine if I've got these teleprompters here and I'm trying to speak and the wrong words are going up on the screen ... (LAUGHTER) PRESIDENT CLINTON': ...which is what we started out to do. So, I had to ignore all these words and~ try to look through the words to•the people. But about 8/9 minutes into the speech, he -- they -- a fella figured out what was wrong, pulled up the right speech, and then whizzed through it, to figure out ... (LAUGHTER) a PRESIDENT CLINTON: ...where I was and from then on in, it was reasonably normal. KOPPEL: Well, I've gotta(sic) tell ya(sic), Mr. President, as a communications specialist, and it may be the last nice thing I say to you, or for you this evening, you had my admiration. I can't tell ya(sic) how tough that is when you've got the wrong speech going by and you did an extraordinary job. Let us take a look at how the speech played. We've got some phone numbers there. Before the speech, you can see we took a poll and 43% approval of your health care plan and 41%, disapproval.- Let's take a look at after the speech. Up to 56t, approval, 24t, disapproval. Now, you're too good a political pro ... (APPLAUSE) KOPPEL: ...you're too good a political pro to put too much

- 5 - faith in that sort of kick that you get right after a speech. How tough is it going to be to hold on to that? PRESIDENT CLINTON: I think it depends upon how good a line of communication we can maintain with the American people. And how open we can be in working this process through Congress. There will be a lot of people who will honestly disagree with cert:ain things I have recommended. There'll be a lot of- other people who will not want it to happen because they will make less money out of the system that we propose or because it will require them to change. And they will all be heard. So, that the important thing is that everyone understand that this is an extremely complicated thing. You've interviewed me before and I saw your show tonight. I've been working on this issue seriously for three and a half years. And I've been dealing with health care as a Governor, Attorney General, as a citizen for a long time, but really working on the systematic problems for three and a half years. And talking to hundreds of doctors and other experts all around the country. It's a complex thing. But I think if the American people know that Hillary and I and our Administration, that we're listening to people and that we're really shooting them straight, then I think we can maintain support for change because the reason there's so much support -for change among Republicans and Democrats and all the people in the health care system, is that those who know the most,- know we cannot afford to continue with the system we have. It's bankrupting the country and not helping people. KOPPEL: Mr. President, we've got an awful lot of people here, who I know want to ask questions. I just want to show you one more poll result. Take a look. I worry my future health care costs won't be taken care of. Now, look at how many people agree with that statement. That's after hearing your speech. PRESIDENT CLINTON: They should worry about that. KOPPEL: Why do you think it's still so high? Two-thirds of the American public still worry that their future health care costs won't be taken care of. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Because health care costs have been going up at twice the rate of inflation or more. For people insured in small businesses, more than twice the rate of inflation. Because at any given two year period, almost one in four Americans don't have any health insurance. Because about a hundred thousand Americans a month lose their insurance permanently. So, how could people not? And even if that hasn't happened to you, almost everyone of us knows someone that it's happened to.

- 6 - KOPPEi,: Let me ask you a favor, Mr. President, I've already talked to the audience out here and asked them the same favor. They're going to introduce themselves to you, tell you their names, and who they are. We've got so many people who want to talk to you to the degree that we can, let's zip through as many questions and answers as we can. Ma'am(?), you've got the kick-off question. Go ahead. KATHY BLOUNCE - HOME-MAKER: Hi. My name is Kathy Blounce(?) and I'm a homemaker. I have a 4-year-old son, who three years ago had a near drowning accident and just barely survived. Drowning. Due to neurological brain damage, he requires physical, occupational and speech therapy three times a week, every week, for the past three years. I'm very concerned that, number one, he won't be able to continue this long-term therapy. Number two, that he won't be able to do it at a specialized children's therapy center. And number three, we already pay for the most expensive coverage we can through my husband's work in order to just get this coverage. And I'm afraid that, if it costs any more, we won't be able to continue the therapy for him, that he needs.* PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, first of all, it won't get any worse. That is, if you're paying for it now and you have coverage that covers that, there's nothing to prevent that from continuing in our system. Anybody, for example, who's got a situation at work where your employer's paying 100% of your premiums, that can continue. So,. you shouldn't worry about that. , But in all probability, because of the changes in our plan, you will have more secure coverage. That is, if this plan passes, you will know that the coverage you have can never be taken away from you and that we will cover primary and preventive services and those kinds of long- term care services for children are very important. Also, what we want to do, that is very important, especially in the event that, if your husband has to change jobs, we're going to rate all families in America under a broad-based community rating system so that people go into big pools. Insurance companies make money like grocery stores do, a little bit of money on a lot of people, instead of a lot on a few. And we all share the risks in ways that will guarantee that you'll always be able to get insurance at lower rates, than would otherwise be the case. KOPPEL: All right. Let me move right on and forgive me, I know that none of you is going to be satisfied and would like to ask follow-up questions, but we are going to try and move around. All right. Go ahead, sir. DR. ERIC KAPLAN - PSYCHIATRIST: Hi. My name's Doctor Eric Kaplan. I'm a psychiatrist in Tampa. First of all, on behalf of my patients and their families, I'd like to thank you for including mental health benefits as part of the comprehensive health package.

My question for you is for out-patient services for the mentally ill, will they be paid at a cost that is equal to other medical illnesses or will they be paid at a lesser rate, such as Medicare, which is, many of us feel, is discriminatory? PRESIDENT CLINTON: It depends. The reimbursement rate will depend upon what plan the person joins, who wants the mental health care. For example, each~individual will choose what health plan they belong to. If you chose, for example, a preferred provider organization where a lot of doctors get together and offer to give services, they will prescribe what the reimbursement rate will be and what the cost of the plan will be. If you -- if a person joins a fee for service plan, then the reimbursement rate will be published on the front and it will be agreed to by the doctors, in the beginning. But the government won't set the rate. So there will be some more flexibility there. And let me also say, because I don't want to over-promise in this thing. I really believe it's important for us to cover mental health benefits. But we're not going to be able to cover the full range of mental health benefits because we don't know how to cost them out very well. As much as I think we should until the year 2000. So, there won't be unlimited visits, for example, until the year 2000. But we'll start with some hospitalization that's significant and a number of visits per year and then build up to full coverage over the rest of the decade. KOPPEL: Mr. President, we also have our financing plan here. We have to take some commercial breaks and we'll take the first of them right now. We'll be back with President. Clinton and with our audience here in Tampa, in just a moment. . : . (FILM CLIP - UNIDENTIFIED DOCTOR: I'm concerned that we're going to try to fix some things and in the process, we're going to break things more. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: We need to do some reform and he's headed in the right direction trying to do something. And I'd like to ... UNIDENTIFIED DOCTOR #2: Bring in a system in which, we have such a tiered system, people who receive no health care, some people who receive opulent health care,is an embarrassment. ~.:~>...

- 8 - END OF FILM CLIP) KOPPEL: Now, if you'll take a look at the poll, I don!t know if you can read -- your eyes are probably better than mine. I can't read those results from here. Can we put it up on the bigg screen? Can we see the poll up there? PRESIDENT CLINTON: I see it. KOPPEL: Can you read it? Well, would you be -- there we go! They think your plan versus the present system - 64% think it's better, 17% think it's worse, 3% think it's the same. Again, - that's pretty good. I mean, you can't expect it do much better. to PRESIDENT CLINTON: And 64% are right. (LAUGHTER/APPLAUSE) PRESIDENT CLINTON: They're right about that. Yeah. KOPPEL: Just to keep things from getting too dull, let's see if we can get a question from one of the 17%. All right? Go ahead. JEAN PARKER - HOME-MAKER:. Mr. President, I'm Jean Parker,.a homemaker, retired. I'm a caregiver for two Alzheimer victims. I represent the Alzheimer Association in Tampa and I have my mother who is 85, been in a care facility for five and a half years. My husband, 66 years old, is.in a care facility, nine months. What will your health care program do for me? And these other caregivers? PRESIDENT CLINTON: It will do three things. First of all, for people with Alzheimer's, and other problems that require institutional care, we will continue to cover that. And we will cover it, at least as well, or better, as now. But secondly, over a period of years, now we can't do all this at once because we have to phase in the coverage as we realize more savings from the waste of the existing system. But over a period of years, we will also reimburse people for in-home care. Because often times, it's less expense to maintain people in-homes than in nursing homes. So, we will, for the first time, have a system, by which, people can actually have coverage for in-home care. And that will include respite care too. If for example, you are taking care of a parent or a spouse, you're doing an incredible service for our society. You're keeping your family together. And you're saving money for the system, but you're entitled to a little time off, and so under this system, over a period of years, we'd actually set up a reimbursement system so you could be reimbursed y.'r'an"~':y?3::•

- 9 - cr covered to bring in a nurse. For example, if you wanted to take a 4-day week-end'or something, just to get away from the pressure of your duties. And over the long run~, this will enable more people to keep _heir families together, lower the cost of care by keeping more people out of institutions and make for, I think, a better quality of life in our country. KOPPEL: To the degree that you can, Mr. President, can you cive a sense of what the progression of years is going to be? In other words, you keep saying, we're not going to be able to do all of this right away. PRESIDENT: Sure! Yeah, I can. Let me say, first of all, we assume that it will take a period of several months for The Zongress to work through this. But I must tell you, this is the -est spirit I have ever seen in The Congress, at least in modern :imes, among Democrats and Republicans. First to learn everything :hey can and second to, work together. We're in Florida tonight, we have six members of the Florida :elegation up here, three Democrats and three Republicans who came down here with me tonight and that's sort of the attitude that's ,oing on. So, let's assume we pass a bill sometime next year. The first and most important thing we have to do is to lock in basic security _or everyone. So, we want to get that done by 1996. That is, everybody's covered with comprehensive benefits and then between :996 and the year 2000, we want to phase-in each year more of these '_ong,-term care benefits. . So, it'll be about a 5-year period after the basic benefits come in. KOPPEL: You have got to be concerned. There's a little thing called re-election that has to kick in before you can be sure that you're going to be able to continue doing these things into a second term. You must feel tremendous pressure to get a lot of this done by the end of your first term. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, what I feel the pressure to do, is to, at least, pass the legislation and get the security in. I want everybody to have their health security card so they'll know they have comprehensive benefits they can't be taken away. They can't lose. If that happens, I believe that the public feeling for this will sweep across America without regard as to party, to region, to age That the American people will see 'this as a descent humane thing that we have waited too long to do. And that it will then be a tide that no one can turn back. And no one will really want to turn back.

KOPPEL: Let me ask you to swivel around and I know you wanted to acknowledge the Attorney General, who's sitting out there. So, if we can just do that, ... PRESIDENT CLINTON: Say hello to Attorney General Reno ... (APPLAUSE) PRESIDENT CLINTON: She's here with me, in Florida. (APPLAUSE) PRESIDENT CLINTON: She wanted to come home with me, you know. Janet Reno is from Florida, for two reasons. First of all, we're going to do an event tomorrow dealing with young people and crime and the cost that that imposes on our health care system and because she also, is deeply concerned about what she can do to help deal with some of the issues here. The Attorney General must enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act, for example. Attorney General has the power to reach and deal with*our young people in ways that can have a direct impact on the quality of their lives and health care in this country. So I -- she came down here, and I'm glad she's here. KOPPEL: Swivel your attention over to the left. The gentleman up there at the microphone. Go ahead, sir. FRANK: Yes sir. Good evening, Mr. President. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Good evening, sir. FRANK: My name is Frank (Inaudible), and I'm a retired 4 school teacher. An educator for the last 15 years. I've been forced to retire because I'm a person with AIDS. In two months, I look forward to having absolutely no medical insurance in my life other than Medicaid. I'm actively involved in the AIDS community and in the medical community here in Tampa. And my concern is the concern of the Medicaid program in terms of health care reform. Presently many of the physicians - some, not all, - but many of the physicians and health care providers including pharmacies are openly refusing medical care to patients who are either Medicaid patients or who are H.I.V. Positive/AIDS patients. A friend of ours is in the hospital as we speak. He has a severe dermatological problem. He's in a non-for-profit hospital. None of the doctors in the hospital, none of the doctors in the Medicaid-Provider book, nor any of the doctors in the phone book who are dermatologists, will see this person. Not because of ~ ~ N C03 CC N +CJ %I ~

AIDS, but because of Medicaid. We have another friend who ... KOPPEL: Do me a favor ... FRANK: Yes. KOPPEL: ...because we ... PRESIDENT CLINTON: I know -- can I get to the -- I know what the question -- FRANK: Go right ahead. PRESIDENT CLINTON: First of all, there are a lot of doctors who don't treat Medicaid patients because it's an incredible paperwork hassle, fooling with the federal government, and because, often the reimbursement rates are so much below regular insurance reimbursement rates for Medicaid. AIDS -- people with AIDS at some point have to quit working and often-times don't have insurance on the job so they quit working just so they can get Medicaid. Two things will happen under this system that will really help you and people like you all over America. There are one million Americans that are H.I.V., or AIDS today. Number one, because you will be covered with health insurance while you're able to work, including a drug benefit that will make you able to work longer. Along with everybody else, you will always have health insurance and it won't break your employer because-you'11 be part of a big community pool, so your rates will be the same as everybody else. So the first thing is, more people with H.I.V. Positive will be able to work longer without bankrupting their employers. KOPPEL: Uh, huh. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Number two, if you do have to quit work and you go on to what we now know as the Medicaid Program, it won't be a separate Medicaid program. Medicaid patients will be in these big health alliances with self-employed people, small business people, the employees of big corporations. Everybody will be in there together. Everybody will pick their plans together and the plan will treat you just like everybody else because the reimbursement for you will be just like everybody else. And there will be one form to -fill out for you, just like everybody else. So, there will no longer be an incentive or the optiori to turn you whether down. They won't even know, for all practical purposes,r you're Medicaid or not, because you'11 be in the plan with everyone else.