The Affordable Care Act Means Peace of Mind for Moms

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama meet with mothers regarding the Affordable Care Act in the Oval Office, Dec. 18, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

On Wednesday afternoon, President Obama and the First Lady met with a group of moms (and one aunt!) in the Oval Office to talk about how health reform has benefitted their families. They talked about the critical role that moms are playing in helping their families access quality, affordable health care by encouraging their adult children, family members and their peers to sign up for coverage.

Because many women in the group know first-hand why having the security of health insurance is so important, they’ve been working tirelessly to make sure that everybody in America is able to get high-quality health care coverage that provides them with financial protection and looks after them when they get sick.

“I think this conversation really drove home in a very personal way why this is important,” President Obama said. “Sometimes here in Washington, this is a very abstract conversation or an entirely political conversation. But when you boil it down to stories and people hear what it means to have the security of solid health insurance at an affordable price when you need it, it reminds me at least of why we've been fighting so hard to get this done.”

First Lady Michelle Obama said that she’s involved with this issue “because I’m a mom.”

 …It’s our job as mothers to make sure that our young people are informed about their “invincibility,” to make sure that other moms and families out there really understand what this law provides and that they can take advantage of it. This is the beauty of it. People have choices. They can go on to the website; they can talk to a navigator; they can learn for themselves what the law means and what it doesn’t mean. And that's really, really what we want people to do, is educate yourselves. Get that education. Make the choice that's best for your family, because the options are there.

The First Lady thanked everyone for their hard work getting the word out.

“We urge everyone out there who has a story to share it,” she said “And we urge people to reach out.  And if they’ve signed up their child, then sign up their friends.  If you’ve got grandkids, make it a Christmas treat around the table to talk about a little health care. Ring in the New Year with new coverage.“

For more information:

• Share your story about the importance of health care
• Mother Knows Best: Health Care Brings Peace of Mind to American Families
• Adele's Story: I Don't Have to Worry About Lifetime Limits on My Daughter's Health Care  
• Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Lisa No Longer Has to Worry About Her Daughter's Pre-Existing Condition