Obama notes rise in number of healthcare uninsured

President Barack Obama mentioned Census figures and other surveys that the number of uninsured has swelled by 6 million people over the last 12 months. The number of adults who receive workplace insurance has also dropped.

He also mentioned that having insurance is not very ensuring any more, since you can be dropped at any time if you're considered too much of a cost-risk.

Obama said that if a healthcare package is passed, he would "own" it and accept responsibility if medical costs did not come under control, or the problem of the uninsured was not solved. He said he was open to managing medical malpractice suits, a key Republican issue, but indications are that he is not that receptive to the idea.

The president said that we are not the first generation to take up the issue of healthcare reform, but he hopes that we will be the last.