We're still a way from universal coverage, we're still a way from affordable care for everyone, - Kathleen Sebelius

That relentless battle is still underway,” Sebelius said. “The march toward universal coverage, as slow, difficult, and painful as it is, will continue in the United States of America, and I’m just delighted I had a small part in that wonderful march toward equity.”

Women candidates were certainly running for statewide office in various places, but it was a tricky balance," she said. "You couldn't be too tough or people hated you. You couldn't be too weak or people thought you couldn't do the job. You were a witch or a bitch. It was a very complicated role to play.

I think what we said from the outset was, you know, this was fixing a very broken market– where individuals really were on their own,” she said. “If you were healthy and wealthy, you could get coverage. If you weren’t, you were pretty much on your own”