Michelle Obama: Health Reform Helps Women

(CBS/AP)  First lady Michelle Obama is assuring older women they won't be lose Medicare benefits through a health care overhaul and the legislation is designed to bring down their health care costs.

Mrs. Obama, championing the health care overhaul at the White House in her husband's absence, said women are among those struggling the most because of the status quo and would be among those to benefit the most from a health care overhaul.

She said the measures would make Medicare more stable by eliminating wasteful subsidies to private insurance.

Special Report: Health Care Reform

The first lady also revealed she's got a health problem herself, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports.

"Forgive me," she said, "I've got children and now I've got a cold."

"It goes with the territory," she added - sounding a bit sniffly.

The first lady said no one yet knows what kind of health care bill will make it to her husband's desk, but she's sure it will include protections on caps for health care costs and ban on denials for pre-existing conditions.

She said it will "end the discrimination women face" in the health insurance market.

And she vowed that "not a dime of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for reform."

Before Mrs. Obama spoke, three women invited by the White House explained their health insurance problems and difficulties in paying for coverage.

[bacaangel]

Healthcare reform will especially help women and their children.

The tidal wave implementation of jobs going overseas due to busisnesses having to pay high health care premiums for their employees, will only continue until there will be no businesses left to operate because premiums are sky high -- this insurance monopoly is sort of like paying the mafia in order to operate!

If health care does not pass, it will reveal that the U.S. Congress does not have enough strength or right intentions to pass a healthcare bill that will benefit the people of the United States, finally control health care costs for both businesses and individuals. It will expose that Insurance Companies and Pharmacies have more power over these legislators than the people who have sent them to Congress! It is always like pulling teeth for these legislators to do something beneficial for the people -- example: increasing unemployment benefits and raising the mimimum wage to a living wage and even that falls far short! I have faith that a bill will pass -- that it is the peoples' time now and not the corporations and insuarnce companies... We can finally say No the Party of No and Fear and get off that "yellow brick road"!

Also, Why do the GOP Party of No and Fear, fear the terrorists being tried in open court in New York? I think they are greatly angered that this is something they did not do -- try the terrorists anywhere! However, these terrorists are not military and should not be tried as such. The GOP remind me of bullies who pretend to be tough but are really afraid. May be Gound Zero can finally be healed and revived once these terrorists are tried and found guilty so close to where they did their dastardly deed. God knows these men should have been tried a long time ago. Thank God it is finally going to happen!

[mapjo11]

John McCain and other congressional leaders get unlimited healthcare for $503/year. Do YOU? Fight back. Sign the petition to protest at: http://******/2nrapo

[stillwaters6]

Thank you first lady Michelle R. Obama.

Mothers are usually on the front line when it comes to caring for children and aging parents.