Just got this from Senator Obama

Dear Michelle: Thank you for contacting me regarding the need for reform in our health care system. I appreciate hearing your comments regarding the disparity between how private insurance and Medicare and Medicaid treat obesity, and I apologize for the delay in my response to your email. I'm afraid the challenge of answering the nearly three month backlog of correspondence the Senate post office delivered to me in late January has slowed the process of responding to the letters and web messages I've received since I took office. To truly target the health care crisis, we need to look at proactive health measures, not just reactive care. With health care costs projected to be 18.5% of the GDP in 2013, measures such as preventative health and healthier lifestyles should be part of the dialogue. It is widely acknowledged, for example, that regular exercise and early detection of disease not only promote health but decrease health care costs. Obesity, in particular, is a very serious public health concern in our nation. However, obesity is not yet viewed by the general public as a serious disease that requires medical attention. For some individuals suffering from obesity, weight loss surgery is of necessity. It is unfortunate that such necessary care is incredibly difficult to access under certain insurance policies. Health care should a right for everyone, not a privilege for a few. Too many Americans are working hard but cannot manage to keep up with their health care bills. Too many employers are finding it increasingly difficult to offer the coverage their employees need. Forty three million Americans have no health insurance at all. Day to day, this is an enormous problem, let alone when a personal crisi****s. I look forward to working with my colleagues in a truly bipartisan manner to improve all Americans' access to affordable, quality health care. This simply must be a higher national priority. While expanding coverage is a priority of mine, we must also ensure these policies do not leave out procedures that are medically necessary. I will look into your concern regarding weight loss surgeries. Again, Michelle, thank you, and please stay in touch in the days ahead. Sincerely, Barack Obama United States Senator

Wow. I am impressed. That was a personalized and thoughtful response. Good for you for writing! Jeanie