Because She Said So: Michelle Obama Wants Women to Stand Up for Health Care Reform
Filed under: Health Care Plans, Health Reform, Obama Administration, Public Plan
Last Friday, First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the nation’s women, asking them to mobilize in support for health care reform. Similar to the sentiments expressed in my post last week, Obama presented health care as a woman’s issue– further stating that health care is most important to what she called the “sandwich generation,” those who have the responsibilities to care for the elderly in their family as well as the children. Obama calls the current health care system “unacceptable,” and one that needs reform to “ensure women have opportunities that they deserve.” Included in such opportunities for women, as the First Lady said, is the freedom and ability to care for their families.
Further complicating the situation, many women find themselves earning more than is allowed to be eligible for public insurance yet not enough to purchase private insurance. Women are also less likely than men to secure employer-based insurance, which can be attributed to the fact that women are more likely to work part-time and have lower incomes. Employment equality issues ring a bell? Check out this New York Times web tool, which gives a comparative analysis on how different individuals are affected by health care reform. It is interesting in that it shows that for women, especially those who are unmarried, the current system leaves them largely to fend for themselves in the individual market; it also shows the potential benefits of a public plan option. As I detailed last week, the individual market in health insurance, not subject to a host of anti-discriminatory legislation and regulation, poses significant problems to women when it comes to supplying affordable and reliable insurance.
One of the biggest issues Michelle Obama seemed to have with the current system was gender rating; it continues to force women to pay much higher premiums than men in private insurance plans. The actuarial argument, that women’s health care needs require regular preventive care (which in reality, women and men alike should be getting) is significantly undermined by the research which shows the ultimate cost benefits of preventive care–for both women and men. It seems both ironic and counter-productive that this justification is used to punish with higher premiums those who embark upon the proactive health maintenance which so many agree is both the key to ultimate health care cost control and one of the primary goals of health care reform. Hopefully, Obama’s optimism that such gender rating will be removed through the current reform process will prove true.
With so many challenges aligned against women, it is apparent that, as stated by the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, “The status-quo health insurance system is serving women poorly.” Perhaps this is why the Obama administration, in its drive to convince Americans that the issue of health care can no longer be pushed aside, is turning to women. A smart choice, whichever way you look at it, since women as a whole are one of the groups most strongly supporting health care reform.
So what can women do to get active in the health care reform movement, as Michelle Obama asks of us? For now, make sure you stay on top of what the language of health reform bills says about health care for women and families. The National Women’s Law Center is a great organization to get connected to for updates and summaries of the effects of new legislation on women’s access to health. Through the National Women’s Law Center, you can also contact your Members of Congress to let them know that you support health care reform that addresses women’s needs. Spread the word to your mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends; tell them Michelle Obama needs our help.
I even went through the whole SSI process with a lawyer, took 2 yrs, but I won. Bitter sweet though, I got $2 K back pay for 2004-2006, then was told Ken made $100 too much for 2 people to get any more SSI, and I was 2 work credits short to get SSDI!
Recently as Ken separated from me and lost his job, I went back as I have next to NO income. They told me it had been 2 yrs, too long to automatically resume SSI. They are making me start ALL OVER!!! Will it take 2 more years!!! Now I am without meds the Cataplexy is Horrible, and the applications to get PPA from Nord, etc are impossibly lengthy and exhausting. Uggh,
TX Medicaid system only will help me NOW if I get pregnant. To me, I would rather support one person, rather than them and their child they cannot afford. For me to get pregnant would be an act of stupidity/desperation due to lack of health insurance. My severe Narcolepsy with Cataplexy, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Lyme’s Disease, and Diabetes, I did NOTHING to contract. Pregnancy, except for cases of Rape/Incest is self-caused. Why only help the pregnant?
Some employees are simply irreplaceable. Take Michelle Obama: The University of Chicago Medical center hired her in 2002 to run “programs for community relations, neighborhood outreach, volunteer recruitment, staff diversity and minority contracting”.
In 2005, the hospital raised her salary from $120,000 to $317, 000 nearly twice what her husband made as a Senator.
Oh, did we mention that her husband had just become a U.S. Senator? He sure had. And that he immediately requested a $1 million earmark for the UC Medical Center, in fact?… You betcha by golly… He surely did. Way to network Michelle!
But now that Mrs. Obama has resigned, the hospital says her position will remain unfilled. How can that possibly be??? Especially if the work she did was vital enough to be worth $317,000?
Oh, by the way, let me add that Michelle’s position was a part time, 20 hour week job at $317,000.00 per year !!
“IN GOD WE TRUST!!”–we better because you sure can’t trust your elected officials.
The Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson