July 2, 2009 Obama consoles cancer patient, commits to reform Play video

(NECN: Annandale, Va.) - President Barack Obama continued to take his healthcare reform push on the road, holding a town hall-style meeting in Virginia.

At one point, he took a comment from a cancer patient, who does not have insurance or a job to pay for her treatment.

The president hugged the woman and called her exhibit A in an unsustainable system.

"How do we create a system in which Debbie is getting the preventive care that she needs, is able to get regular checkups, is able to get treatment in a way that is much more cost-efficient that the one we have right now," Mr. Obama said. "I'm going to make a commitment that we're going to get that done this year."

Lawmakers will focus on healthcare next week, after returning from the weeklong 4th of July recess.

Democrats on a key Senate committee have been circulating details of a revised healthcare plan, including a government-backed insurance option and a fee on employers if they do not offer coverage to their workers.

Supporters said it will result in 97 percent of Americans having coverage.

The plan would cost about $600 billion over the next 10 years.