DETAILS, PLEASE, DETAILS - AT 9:35 P.M. ET:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's plan to provide medical insurance for all Americans took a big step toward becoming reality Sunday after leaders of the health care industry offered $2 trillion in spending reductions over 10 years to help pay for the program.

Hospitals, insurance companies, drug makers and doctors planned to tell Obama on Monday they'll voluntarily slow their rate increases in coming years in a move that government economists say would create breathing room to help provide health insurance to an estimated 50 million Americans who now go without it.

COMMENT:  This, of course, places these groups in a better position to influence the final shape of a national health insurance program.  But I want to see the details of that program, not simply cost-cutting gimmicks.  We are going down a road that has led to a dead end in too many countries for us to relax about this.  We need some improvements in our health care system.  We do not need socialized medicine.

May 10, 2009