First Lady wades back into health debate

From NBC's Athena Jones WASHINGTON -- For the second time in as many months, First Lady Michelle Obama entered the contentious fray over health care, urging breast cancer survivors and their advocates not to lose heart in what may seem like an uphill battle to get legislation through Congress. She made the remarks at an event she hosted with Dr. Jill Biden to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The pair were joined on stage by three breast cancer survivors struggling to pay for health coverage, because their cancer, though in remission, was deemed a pre-existing condition. The first lady said that while progress had been made battling the disease, the fight would not be finished until the health care system was revamped. She cited a Department of Health and Human Services report that showed that even breast cancer patients with employer-sponsored insurance paid an average of more than $6,200 in out-of-pocket costs per year and some paid as much as $30,000 or more, while those without ... (link)