CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: HealthCare.gov

Interview

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REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, thank you so much for having me.

BLITZER: Is there any explanation why, if they were told, HHS, that there were so many problems with this Web site on September 6, they still went ahead and rolled it out and had this fiasco on October 1?

CLYBURN: Well, I don't know to fact, when in three weeks, maybe they thought they could fix it in three weeks.

To be told on September 6 that there's something wrong for something that's going to happen on October 1, that's three full weeks to work on the problem. I guess maybe that's what they spent their time doing, and maybe it was not enough time to get it done.

But the fact of the matter is, there's still a way to sign up. I have been encouraging everybody in South Carolina that will listen to me, use the 1-800 number. Go to the community health centers in the community. We got 30 of them in South Carolina. All of these people have got folks there. You can talk to somebody person to person, which is the way I would rather do it myself.

So the Web -- the site will get fixed. It's problematic now. But it's always been that way. It took six months to fix it eight years ago when we did Medicare Part D. And we had the same kinds of headlines. And the grade given it in the headline was an F. And I suspect they're getting failing grades now.

But it's what happens four, five months from now by March 31, and I think that there's plenty enough time to get this fixed.

BLITZER: What about the president's repeated promise that if you like your health care program, you can keep your health care plan, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor? Not exactly true, as we now know, because millions of people are losing their health care programs. A lot of them liked it.

Now they might be able to get better ones, but they're still not able to keep what they had. What do you think about that?

CLYBURN: Well, I think that people like what they had until they try to use it.

That's when you decide whether or not you really like what you have got. Two of my three daughters, I had to pay for out of pocket when they were born, simply because of some fine print in the insurance policies. I ended up paying the doctor and the hospital out of pocket.

That happens when you don't read the fine print. I have heard from people today who tell me that they're getting cheaper policies and they're getting better coverage. And I believe the head of Florida Blue said as much on "Meet the Press," I believe it was, on Sunday, that people who get these letters will find in many instances that they will get a better policy for cheaper rates. And so nobody really knows what they have got until they try to use it.

BLITZER: But, you know, a lot of people will get a different policy, and they may get better protection, but if their premiums are going to go up, their deductibles are going to go up, and they're not very happy.

CLYBURN: Well, that may be true.

And they don't know exactly what it's going to cost them. Just because the premium goes up doesn't mean you don't qualify for a subsidy. And that's exactly what this is all about, making sure that it is affordable. It didn't say free. It's affordable health care.

And if people find out that their policy, they're qualified for a policy, then it's time to determine whether or not they qualify for a subsidy. Nobody's talking about the subsidies. And they're there for people based upon income.

And so I would hope that we look at it holistically. And I'm not too sure that there won't be people who will find that they're much, much better off than they were without it. I know this. And nobody knows when they will slip and fall, have a broken ankle or get sick. Just because you're healthy today doesn't mean that you won't be visited by some ill health issue two days from now.

BLITZER: And everybody needs health insurance.

CLYBURN: Absolutely.

BLITZER: All right, Congressman, appreciate it very much. Thanks very much for joining us.

CLYBURN: Thank you so much for having me.

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