WASHINGTON, July 17 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama ended the workweek Friday with a pitch for speedy action on a plan to reform U.S. healthcare.
Obama made a brief statement to the news media in the White House, taking no questions.
"We're going to have to get this done. If we don't get health care reform done now, then no one's health insurance is going to be secure because you are going to continue to see premiums going up," he said. "That's why those who are betting against this happening this year are badly mistaken. We are going to get this done. We will reform healthcare. It will happen this year."
Obama has said he supports the healthcare bills now being considered in the Senate and the House. He said any plan must pay for itself and not add to the deficit.
The president held a White House meeting earlier Friday with freshman Democrats in the House, including 21 who have signed a letter saying they do not support a plan to increase taxes on the richest U.S. taxpayers to pay for health care.
