Published on August 4, 2009 at 6:49 PM
"When President Barack Obama said at a recent news conference that he has the best health care in the world, he wasn't exaggerating," The Chicago Tribune reports.
"The White House medical unit with a staff of four doctors and even more nurses and physicians' assistants is just steps from his office, ready to provide free treatment to him and his family. ... Air Force One is stocked with equipment to rapidly assemble an onboard operating room. … White House physicians provide free medical coverage for the first family and the vice president's family, as well as urgent treatment to White House staff and visitors as needed."
"The personal physicians and access to military hospitals come on top of a choice of 10 family health insurance options that Obama receives along with all other federal employees." The president is responsible for his own co-pays and deductibles. Under the most popular plan offered to federal employees, "a doctor's visit costs $20 and
generic drugs are $10" (Dorning, 8/4).