Great Picture Of President Obama With Health Care Reform Advocate Natoma Canfield

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

Natoma is the woman who wrote to President Obama in 2009 to tell him about her struggle with her insurance company following her diagnosis with cancer nearly 2 decades ago. The President often cited her story as an example for why the health care system needed to be reformed, and carried her letter with him every day during the fight to pass health care reform. He mentioned her in his address to the nation following the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act.

"For years and years, Natoma did everything right. She bought health insurance. She paid her premiums on time. But 18 years ago, Natoma was diagnosed with cancer. And even though she’d been cancer-free for more than a decade, her insurance company kept jacking up her rates, year after year. And despite her desire to keep her coverage -- despite her fears that she would get sick again -- she had to surrender her health insurance, and was forced to hang her fortunes on chance.

I carried Natoma’s story with me every day of the fight to pass this law. It reminded me of all the Americans, all across the country, who have had to worry not only about getting sick, but about the cost of getting well.

Natoma is well today. And because of this law, there are other Americans -- other sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers -- who will not have to hang their fortunes on chance. These are the Americans for whom we passed this law."