Obama urges healthcare reform

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US President Barack Obama will address Congress on Wednesday to press for his comprehensive health care reform. In an interview before making speech, Obama says lawmakers are closer to the goal of reform than expected.

Despite facing staunch Republican opposition and a threats of a divide among his own Democrats, the President said he will not waste time with critics of the national health care plan.

Instead, he hopes to rejuvenate his flagging push to overhaul the 2.5-trillion-dollar health care system.

Obama is lobbying to ban insurers from scrapping coverage for sick patients and capping coverage in a year or lifetime. He also is calling on insurers to cover routine check-ups.