foundation but the acts. i'm grateful to be joined by a truly wonderful partner. a blue star mom and champion of the reserve. they are making plans. they tell me they are not just going to walk again.

they are going to run. they are going to run march thorns. i see the potential with spouses. the folk that answer those questions about when mommy or daddy is coming home. this potential is too unique to skwaunder. an army have the ran put it best when he came mee the army of

staff. he said when i left the service, i was looking for more than a paycheck, i was looking for a mission. ult mountainly, that is the same reason all of you are here today. that is the same conviction that a career is good more than making a living or making a difference. you found your mission. now it is time to work together to help veterans and military families find theirs. thank you for your time. thank you for list especiallying. i truly look forward to working with you all in the weeksnd months to come. thank you all.

god bless. [applause] >> today on washington journal, c co-author of mad as hell.

the path way of citizenship to the children of some illegal aliens. washington journ ool live sunday at 7 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> today on news makers, senator john barrasso at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. eastern on c-span. flu

>> president obama went to falls church, virginia to hear from several people about the healthcare law. several provisions took place thursday to allow children up to age 26 to stay on their parent's plan. this is about 50 minutes. >> how are you? take off your jacket here.

>> welcome to our backyard. we tried clean you everything. watch your step. 36 years ago, i was born with severe 9 defin yen si. it's been a bit of a challenge over the years. in 2006, i reached a lifetime cap after three years. i was trying to figure out what i should do, go on a disability policy, change jobs, fortunately, my employer came threw and was able to cover my costs. we had an opportunity to have this employer take occur of us. 90% of the costs deal with the

clotting factor and the medications i take. that's really where i drive up healthcare it is important to have a policy that will cover that. .

>> for people who are here. first of all, i have the second of health and human services. she's charged with implementing. former insurance commissioner. snows all about this stuff. we are glad to have her on the team. somebody who helps to champion the kind of reform and rights we are going to talk about today. thank you, jim. >> i know he feels blessed to be

the mayor of this wonderful town. the economy has been upper most on our minds. i had to take a series of steps now the economy is growing again. not as faf as three two.

so much of the focus is to try to figure out so much of the focus they are yts >> i ran for office because even as wages and incomes were flat lining, the costs of college

tooish ans were rising. healthcare was one of those issues we could no longer ignore. we konlt ignore it because the cost of healthcare had been escalating faster. even if you get healthcare from your employer, that employer costs sky rockets. more people don't get healthcare from their employers anybody out

there concerned about our deficit, single biggest driver. >> we said we had to take this one most of all, i'd hear stories of families in other states. they had a child with a preexisting condition and they couldn't get health insurance.

or they thought they had coverage. some people tell me stories how just as they got six because they hadn't listed. in some extreme cases we have folk was gal gladder problems that they had 15 years ago. and insurance companies will say, you didn't list that. we are going to drop you.

the amount of vul every what i said was even dealing with this crisis, we have to start doing something to make sure ordinary folks feeling insecure, that they get some relief. part of the affordable care act we can implement tomorrow.

the most important patient's bill of rights we have ever seen in history. let me click off some of the things that will be the case tomorrow. number one, the issue of lifetime limits. if you have a policy, you get sick, insurance company cover you. number two, preexisting conditions for children. children will be covered. number three, we'll be sure if young people don't have health insurance through their employer, they can stay on their parent's health insurance up until the age of 26.

you'll be able to make sure that the insurance company doesn't drop you because of an inowe sent mistake on the insurance form. number four, you'll be able to choose your doctor as customers, you have choices and options. kathleen, anything else? preventative care. now offered under your policy which can actually save people money.

because you get diagnosed quicker. it's sduned to have you are not going to go bankrupt or loose your house if you end up having antient. you want to make sure medicare and the life of medicare is

extended. the reason we feel the need to

do this is from stories i see all over the koernt. we'll start with dawn. dawn has her own mic? >> thank you. i'm dawn from jacksonville, florida. i've been self employed 19988. in times, i didn't have enough to keep health insurance. in 2006, wesly was born. that's when we finlly got >> since 2006, we have always

had something excluded. in july of 2009. his right eye needed surgery. we had that. legislation than a year i said, ok. what about my son? i said, you don't understand, what if he needs another surgery

on his eye. >> what was really shocking coming from the government. we have a more afford nl plan i'm grateful. thank you for everything you've done and everyone has done to push this through. it has made our lives less stressful. >> i want to talk to gail from newham. i had a chance to talk to gail a

couple of weeks ago. a letter had been passed on to us from gail's husband. it was wouldn'terful to touch base with her. >> in march of this year, i was diagnosed with high dprad stage 2 hodgkins lymphoma. i was not insured. i i am apre school teacher for a school that doesn't offer health

insurance. i didn't just think it was in affect in july, we got right into it and ordered so that we were actually insured on july 1. my doctor let me wait three months to start radiation. july 5 frment i started chemo. i'm doing radiation right now. i'm feeling great. if i didn't have this program, i wouldn't be foaling great. i would have ben i thank all of you and president obama. you do not know how this has

changed my life and how grateful i am. >> i should have mentioned this for gail. children with preexisting conditions are covered. it is more complicated to get that whole pool of a bult. by 2014, we'll have a rule in place that they can't bar people, anybody, not just kids, from getting insurance.

we got thousands of people across the country now signing up. you could get insurance for preexisting conditions. some people, you couldn't get insurance at all frment i want to open it up for any questions or comments or concerns people have. we are focusing mostly on health insurance. i'd like to make sure everybody gets the mic.

introduce yourself. >> la verne from new jersey. insurance companies rule when the doctor's order. they either refuse or under medicare, prescription drugs are covered under part b.

the way this was set up, you were covered up to a couple thousand, $34 r 3,000, offer you would end up being covered again. you have this doughnut hole a lot of seer yi i

>> you are making north point. a lot of stiems, there's a process between doctors and medicare about what is going to be covered. way need to be sure, i don't want you to have to use your healthcare plan right now. you need to sig fie how to simply so that you know ahead of time fa two feeses of good news.

one is that we may be clear about what drugs are covered so seniors can make the right jiss in the past that was very unclear. this year, starting in january, this time, it's a tsdz 250 check. next year, a 50% decrease in the brand name drugs into fafkt.

t that's going to be a huge help. $250 didn't cover a lot of sdrugs you have to buy. but next year they will be 50% decrease. i know that was a big issue in the houszen could youaging

people to go to the doctor. i foal like a hot of times we are left out. >> up to age 26. you'll be able to stay on your parents policy. let me guess, 22? >> i wish, 24. and that gives some peace of mind. the second thing we are doing is all 9 policies are gloing to cover preventative care.

>> my mother died of oaf arian cancer. she did not have steady health insurance during her life. she was essentially a self employed consultant. i can't say for certain if she had been diagnosed earlier that she would have been with us

today. if you have insurance one of the toughest things about the healthcare debate we've spent, each of us who had health insurance, spend about 1 thour

they have to figure out how do they keep their doors open treating somebody in the emergency room. they pass on those costs we are providing these but it is the most inefficient that the owe pu pub hearing this, healthcare costs overall will be lower than

they would be otherwise. that means the deficit is going to be lower. understand. i want to be sure efrng this is part of big government. you've heard the republican leader of the house saying this is going to be one of our big priorities. i want you to come and talk to ghal or any of you who now have more security i want you to look

them in the eye and say, sorry, you can't buy health insurance. i don't think that's what this koisht stands for. what they will also have to explain is why would you want to repeal something that the budget office says would you save up to $1 frillon. it doesn't make since. anybody else? >> i want to speak on behalf of

miz the difference between not employing the employees any nor >> what can we do about this misinformation? it seems so survey tis he have why i want to in some way get the word out.

>> tell me what sort of business you have? >> i on a boob store >> i lover bike stores. >> i know you do. i used to be able to go from one to another. what you are seeing is that you didn't have this big pool, so you are in the small pool market. what was happening in the last several years. from 2008, we hit 60. our premium shot up well over 30%. it shot or payroll up.

it eats up whatever profits you are making. we have businesses now eligible for significant tax retaumed frnlt is you'll hear is that some businesses, they are now mandated to provide insurance. it turns out that because is

about 96% of small business don't have a requirement but they could take advantage. 2z true and what we are staying stla is that is not fair. we err going to say, look, if we provide insurance, we go. if not, we'll charge you for the fact that somebody else will have to cover those songs. this is a great deal. in terms of how to get the word how, nobody is more effective than you. i hope all its reporters are here will record what you just

sedz. get the word out. it's a i chaltening. there was op decision from the chamber of calm errs. and some other large lobbying corporations in washington. probably nobody was benefitting more. >> thank you for sharing your story. >> anybody else? >> thank you, mr. president, for having us here. >> my son samy who is here has nur owe peeb tozl every nerve

cell has the potential of becoming a tumor. >> pretty nerve wracking w nor mome. i want to thank you. it is life changing nor a parent. >> samy looks terrific. i saw him running around. >> he is terrific. >> i am glad it gives you piece of mind.

>> people ask me how i stay calm. what keeps me calm, is that every night at 6:00, i walk upstairs. i have a short commute. i have dinner with my wife and daughters. hearing how they are doing. i remember sasha when she was 3 months old -- one night she just wasn't crying right. as a parent, you recognize that's now not how she cries. we called the doctor.

he said why don't you bring her down. he was willing to see her. he said, she may have mene dpfrn itis, i want you to go to the emergency room. she did have it. she had to get a spien al tap. they had to keep her there iii or four days washing the nurse take her away to provide

treatment for her. i i what thinking ba what >> look in the mirror. that's what this is fw ultimately. we have to make sure our healthcare dollars are used smartly. make the system work better, more responsive. ultimately, the porn things are we have to give people basic peace of mind. iechl so sglad i get to stand up here and hear these scoreies.

i it hopes you naurd

[inaudible] [inaudible]

[inaudible]

>> jim didn't have a chance to tell his story. jim hassan auto repair shop. >> 27 years. 14 emfloi years. full coverage, full time employees and theirlies. lart premiums went up 13-1%.

this year bhauz of the affordable care act, we will get between 12500 to 500 going back to 2008 is like a time machine in terms of premiums. >> it's important to say thank you. >> thank you. flu >> who else?

common. where's wes? wesly? common over and take a picture wesly. >> you are eating a doe knit -- doughnut. thank you. go back to your doughnut but don't tell the first lady. ok. >> step up for a second and grab your mom so i can take a picture with your mom.

>> thank you so much. i'll put you in the front. >> all right, man. thank you. >> thank you. >> all done. [inaudible]

[applause] [inaudible]. >> thank you. [applause]

>> coming up on washington journal, we'll take your questions and comments. . .