Michelle Obama Says Women Are “Crushed” by Health-Care System

Michelle Obama Says Women Are “Crushed” by Health-Care System

By Kate Andersen Brower


Sept. 18 (Bloomberg) -- First lady Michelle Obama sought support for the administration’s health-care plans from family advocacy groups and health-care professionals, saying the treatment of women under the current system is “unacceptable.”

As President Barack Obama campaigns to generate backing from voters for his health-care overhaul proposal, the first lady joined the effort today with a more focused pitch.

Michelle Obama said women are being “crushed by the current structure of our health care” because they often are responsible for taking care of family illnesses, arranging checkups and monitoring follow-up care.

“Women are the ones to do it,” she said to an audience of 140 people, including representatives from groups such as the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the National Council of Negro Women. “Mothers are the ones that do it. And many women find themselves doing the same thing for their spouses.”

Women also are more disproportionately affected by the lack of insurance options because they are more likely to work part-time or at small businesses that don’t provide coverage.

“It’s not surprising that so many millions of women are simply going without insurance at all,” Obama said.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aTUFlFQHNlEI

regularly for our health, but what is never addressed is how we will pay if something turns up wrong.

There's probably quite a few women out there who know something is wrong, but lack resources to do anything about it.

Thank you Michelle for also outlining our disproportionate burden when it comes to family health.

(and, I believe other proposals) may still keep a woman from getting the follow up treatments she needs.

Last year, it cost just over $6,000 to find out the weirdness on my mammogram was not cancer. I was lucky, I had fairly decent insurance and my out of pocket was less than $1,000. Next year, my employer is going to a "consumer driven" plan that will have a $5,000 deductible - which is what HR3200 allows for a single person.

This despite studies that show plans with these kinds of out of pockets cost everyone more because people delay treatment because of the costs.

She is telling another ugly truth that many don't want to hear - the brunt of responsibilites that are unequal between men and women and the secret message than 'good' women must suffer in silence and recieve their due when they lie in their caskets (if they can afford one) worn out and at peace at last. Then they become marvelous and almost sainlty, when they're dead and gone and used up.

I saw just a little bit of her speaking and she's just wonderful at it... she was speaking from the heart and actually brought tears to my eyes when she was talking about Sasha. What a fine First Lady she is! :)

Oh the fantasy!

Hell, I thought that during the election when she was closing the deal with people here and there. I really do admire her speaking style though... very down to earth and relatable. :D

on this issue. Yes, it was shown on the major outlets but not talked about 24/7 like the "for-the-first-time-i-am proud"....bullshit. Not even as much press and Nancy Reagan's "Just say no" statement.