September 18, 2009 12:50 PM

Michelle Obama: Health Care is a Women's Issue

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Health Care
(CBS)
First Lady Michelle Obama made the case Friday morning that health care reform is a women's issue and called on female activists to support President Obama's reform plan.

"Health insurance reform and what it means for our families is very much a women's issue," Obama said, speaking to a group of female advocacy leaders at the White House. "If we want to ensure women have opportunities that they deserve, if we want women to be able to care for their families and pursue things they could never imagine, then we have to reform the system."

Women play a unique and increasingly significant role in families, she said, with eight in 10 mothers reporting they are the ones responsible for choosing their children's doctors. More than 10 percent of women in this country are caring for a sick or elderly relative, she said.

"Being part of the sandwich generation, raising kids while caring for sick or elderly parents, that's just not a work-family balance issue anymore... it is a health care issue," Obama said.

Speaking before the first lady, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that insurance companies can charge women more than men for the same coverage.

She noted that insurance companies in some states can deny coverage to women who are victims of domestic violence because they are considered to have pre-existing conditions.

"A system that treats women like that is unconscionable," Sebelius said.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Obama said she approached the health care debate as both a mother and a daughter. She related the story of how her daughter Sasha had to be taken to the emergency room as an infant. She also spoke about her father, who had multiple sclerosis since he was in his 20's.

"I find myself thinking, what would we have done as a family on the South side of Chicago if we hadn't had insurance?" she said. "What if he had lost his job, which fortunately he never did."

Obama said she heard from millions of women with less fortunate stories along the campaign trail. Still, she said, it is understandable that many people want to keep the status quo.

"There will always be folks who will want things to stay just the way they are," Obama said. "I am here today standing before you as the First Lady of the United States of America because you all didn't settle for the world as it is... Health care is the next step."

She described the elements of her husband's plan, including the formation of a health insurance exchange, coverage for routine check ups and preventive medicine, and the limitation of out-of-pocket expenses.

"I think this is a pretty reasonable plan," she said. "No longer can we sit by and watch the debate take on a life of its own. Now more than ever we have to channel our passions into change."

Add a Comment See all 133 Comments
by enwr77 September 20, 2009 9:44 AM EDT
I agree health care reform should benefit women and men. This is not health care reform. It is escalating the norm, the status quo, insurance companies. It is about getting anything passed for political gains and not about getting it right and permanency. This reform is really insurance care and not health care. That is taking care of the insurance companies that fund so many politicians? campaigns. True health care reform is making it affordable for users to pay their providers on their own and keeping government and corporations out. Why should we have to give the money to insurance companies to give to our providers? Why should we not have the right to give it directly to providers? Why dictate that it be given first to the insurance companies? If it were not over priced we could pay our own medical bills. I guess it is really not about cutting costs. A mandate for health insurance is not a mandate for health care. As George Bush was for the war industry, Barak Obama is for the insurance industry. This is government involvement over and beyond controlling our bodies. As a woman, I see that it is men making mandates on the health of my body, Obama and McCain. As a woman, I see men dictating how to spend monies I earn. This is not the 1950?s. Where is NOW?

Racism will always be part of America and as a recipient, the Right gives it freely. President Carter is best to understand southern racism. Still many including the media have been fair. There has been equal opportunity criticism of the President in comparison with other Presidents.
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by rannan3 September 20, 2009 9:30 AM EDT
Last year at this time the FLOTUS was pledging to make military families her priority -- has anyone seen anything she done on that front yet ??
Reply to this comment
by writer10 September 19, 2009 6:16 PM EDT
"I think this is a pretty reasonable plan," she said. "No longer can we sit by and watch the debate take on a life of its own. Now more than ever we have to channel our passions into change."

Of course she thinks it's 'reasonable' as she doesn't have to worry about insurance or the cost - and personally, I've seen enough 'change' in this Gov't administration that I'm to the point where the Obama's can just 'keep the change'
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by Orlandojon September 19, 2009 4:55 PM EDT
I disagree that health care is a women's issue. There is no reason to promote one race over the other or one sex over the other. Health care is equally important to all. I'm sure most of you have noticed all the attention that breast cancer gets even though it's not even close to the 10 ten killers. Let's move past special preference for any group and just promote good health for all.
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by mary-miami September 19, 2009 3:07 PM EDT
Why not have an election and ask the American people whether or not they want free health care for all? After all, it is the American way to ask the people what they want. This is a government, for the people, by the people. My opinion is...Have a national election and ask the people to vote Yes or No.
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by ffoulkes-2009 September 20, 2009 5:54 AM EDT
because the dems wouldn't stand a chance to get this passed that way.
by pasmalltown September 20, 2009 10:17 PM EDT
_by ffoulkes-2009 September 20, 2009 5:54 AM EDT -
"because the dems wouldn't stand a chance to get this passed that way."
_____________________________

You doing well with your "critical thinking" until your statement above. It seems you are "painting with a very broad brush" here. This poster NEVER mentioned "dems" - she spoke of the "American people"
meaning left, right, center and all points inbetween. So how is it you can conclude that only the "dems" wouldn't stand a chance to get it passed that way? Are you trying to infer that only the "dems" are interested in passing free healthcare reform for all? or do you mean only "the left fringies" or "fringe left"? And what of conservative Democrats? Imagine there a few of them that don't trust Obama's reform, yet they are still "dems".......

In all you comments it "appears" that you are not opposed to healthcare reform, you just have problems with Obama's ideas for reform - Is that a correct assumption or am I reading too much into your statements? If not what Obama is proposing, then what would you like to see voted on?
All of your comments seem critical of the "lefties" and Democrats, yet you fail to provide substance to what it is you are interested in with respect to reform. At least mary-miami is willing to offer her opinion i.e. "let's have a national election", and the "fringe lefties" aren't shy about expressing their's....

Or maybe I assume too much, maybe you want things to stay the same. And by the way, what's wrong with tofu? Too, bland?
by denniswaite September 19, 2009 1:18 PM EDT
dear senator's of the United States ;

do you or do you not - support a public health care option in your bill:
anything elese will never be accepted by the AAmerican public :
we are not amused by the MEDIA - who would have someone believe this debate can be side-steeped by anyother type of plan:
ITS A STRONG PUBLIC HEALTH CARE OPTION IS NOT IN THIS BILL-THE PUBLIC WILL NOT SUPPORT IT NOR WILL THEY SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO STOLE OUR CHANCE OF GETTING A PUBLIC OPTION TO COMPETE WITH COMMERCIAL INSURANCE:
Reply to this comment
by eightsigma September 19, 2009 2:04 PM EDT
Ditto.
by oiaf0831 September 19, 2009 12:16 PM EDT
So, let's total up our Obama bill so far:

$3500 for higher energy cost due to cap & trade
$3800 for being unable to afford health insurance, times 4 for the average family = $15,200

So far, Obama has just cost the average household an extra $18,700 per year. At at time when we're struggling to pay our bills, and unemployment is near 10%.

Hail Obama?

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Shame on you for making such a racist comment. You just can't stand seeing your white power slipping away.

Thank goodness we finally have intelligent leadership.
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by bill0bob September 19, 2009 11:48 AM EDT
"The primary reason why America has such a great health care system is becaue insurance companies deny health coverage for the sickest people." -- by stillwaters6 September 18, 2009 2:15 PM EDT

You are VERY confused. The USA has a HORRIBLE health care system! It is one of the WORST in the industrialized world. About all you can say good about it is that it's better than Mexico, and that isn't much to brag about!

Health insurance companies routinely deny coverage for medical care that people with insurance need, hoping you don't know how to appeal, or that you will either give up or die while waiting for them to admit they should have paid for your treatment. Then, if you start to cost them too much, they drop you. That is NOT INSURANCE; it is a CON GAME.
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by rocketjl September 19, 2009 11:08 AM EDT
Well, looks like the President is going to try the 'back door' approach. Like cars and many other goodies on the market, sell the wife and she will beat the men into her way of thinking. Good show Obama.......
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by credibility2 September 19, 2009 10:23 AM EDT
Health care is gender neutral and the first lady shouldn't be advocating the adoption of the reforms based on it being gender-focused. What's next, the two Obama girls coming out and promoting the health care reform as a kids issue? It's everyone's issue, whether you agree with it or not.
Reply to this comment
by reveal5 September 19, 2009 11:14 AM EDT
Peculiar
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