 What was that, President? How are you? All right. Well, please. Excuse me. Very aware our administration is, and I wanted to take advantage of opportunities that Mies was supposed to do with us this morning, but he's not feeling well. So long. Good morning. Good morning. Well, let me just say I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you here today, and 1983 may prove to be a landmark in the debate to receive your views on the important health issues. This will be a watershed year for two reasons, the American people, and we're all aware that they're increasing the concern about rising health care costs, particularly since cost increases in other areas of moderate social sanctuary. And our present budgetary situation naturally focuses attention on rapidly rising costs for health care programs. The challenge we face is to meet these problems without diminishing the quality of care available to the American people and without doing damage to our nation's private health care system, which other countries have tried, and if you have to get sick, this is the best country in which you get sick. As you know, last week I sent a message of health care policy to the Congress, and in that message outlined a series of proposals that argue a part in the phrase tough medicine. I know from reading about the AMA's official reaction to those proposals that there are a number of concerns you may have about various aspects. We propose that hospitals be reimbursed with set charges for various illnesses rather than being paid on a cost plus basis. Naturally, you're concerned about what that might imply for government interference on individual costs of treatment. We've also proposed the so-called catastrophic coverage we provided to people with heavy hospital bills, and yet concerns have been raised about whether costs of such a program would get out of hand. We've also proposed an increased cost consciousness on the part of the patient position, which I understand you favored in the past. And finally, we propose that individuals be given the choice to either stay on their present government insurance coverage under Medicare, or else receive a voucher with which they can purchase comparable private coverage. Concerns have naturally been raised of whether such a system might favor one sort of health care practitioner over another. I want to assure you that any proposal from the federal government, even from our administration, can always be improved by consulting outside experts. And I long know that the American Medical Association is the leading voice of America's health care experts and private physicians. So I hope you'll share your thoughts with us today on how we can work with the Congress to ensure that whatever they have act is proper and fair. And I also want to encourage you and the staff to work with Secretary Hechler and under Secretary Spahn over at HHS to make your views known and give us the benefit of your advice. So saying line of the meeting is open for those very purposes. I cannot say I know entirely I believe in these good hands who are with me, but they scheduled it that way over there. Mr. President, before you get away, if you just say on behalf of Ms. Rao and myself, we want to thank you, we honor you to the American Medical Association and invited us to dinner in San Francisco the other night. We're most grateful. The whole association, I think, appreciated the fact that we wanted to set up that way. We have several concerns. May I address the first one that I appreciate of the change in the organization of the department to elevate the understanding. Mr. President. Mr. President, I think they want to press availability. We were all going to stand over here so they come in and how many ways. We know that. We've got anything to say. I'll say anything. I'll say anything. I'll say anything. I'll say any remarks I have for when they all get in here. As you can see is the heart of the terror song. It was presented to me by our first president and one secretary about what he wants to do. Mr. President, we're sitting here because of the fire. Mr. President, one of my secretary asked for a signature on this picture which you won't recognize. She said John K. Heapman and her father are there. She came up with this. It goes back. This is the picture that's in the share. This hands to that T. This hands to that T. This hands to that T. We gather around here for a sign. A sign of the social security. A sign of the social security. The long term, the representatives of the committee were children. But the beauty of the thing is that the citizens of the Golden Age have nothing to worry about. At least for the next 30 or 40 years. And we're getting to that age. I'm a victim of the social security system. I think I'm going to be looking forward to the sign. Thank you. Sir, would you hand this to the John McPhee family? They're the group that my secretary is. That's an amazing picture. I think it's kind of fun. I can imagine. He's the best. You're really surprised? He's the best. Ah, no. I should have called you before I left. We were looking. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is the schedule that when we were in this office, I gave to you. That's when we began. That's when I said I'd be on the floor. President, we think that's leadership. That's the way it is. He said when he'd get it done, he'd get it done. They're coming in here. That was one of the separate discussions. And really, if you're not familiar with it, can you use on our friends over there? I think on the INF, we still are moving in the right direction. We're making preparations at the site. And with Chancellor Cole, we elected, I think, the Chancellor for Persian II to go on. So I'm optimistic on this. Well, a lot of demonstrations. That's the time approach. The remaining firms we have within the Alliance has had its impact. Well, come on. Maybe we should, without giving up, we do still have the press here. This is Frank Whither. Mr. President. Thank you very much. And this is the Chairman of the National and the President of the United States. And Dr. Affin. Representative of the 4000 people a year, your father who saved your life to begin with, certainly showed love and devotion, and I'm sure you're aware of and appreciate it. And I understand that we're having a Litz program now. We sure are. We've been very successful with it. We're just trying to get the word out to the people, so the people understand the importance of the need for transplantation. You know, he now can be his father in tennis, Mr. President, and he's an A student in the honor world. Isn't that wonderful? Well, it sure is. You know, there's quite a moment for a father when I remember, in my case, one of my sports was swimming. And I remember the day finally in the pool when I took over. Of course, I always laid it down to the fact that we did the last up and down, and I was still turning the old fashioned way. I didn't know about the flip turn. I just cling to the fact that that's how it would lead me. It hurts a little bit, but he's regularly now being there. I'd like to present you, Mr. President, with a membership in the National Kidney Foundation. Well, thank you very much. Appreciate that. And welcome to the world. Mr. President, he pointed out that he'll be back next year, or the next year, or all those other years for your second term. Here in the White House. I'm quoting him on that. I won't respond. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.