Monday, March 13, 2017

ObamaCare- Good or Bad?

With Barack Obama out and Donald Trump in the chair of the Oval Office, drastic changes are in the midst for the United States and its citizens. One major controversial change that is occurring as we know it is healthcare. To some, Obamacare was a burden and an overreach in government power, but to others it was their safe haven for medical attention and affordability. Decide for yourself- Should we keep Obamacare?

Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
Obamacare is an implemented healthcare reform which provides Americans with affordable healthcare with the hopes of curbing the growth of government spending on healthcare. According to Obamacarefacts.com, "reforms include new benefits, rights and protections, rules for Insurance Companies, taxes, tax breaks, funding, spending, the creation of committees, education, new job creation and more."
Furthermore, the Affordable Care Act does the following:

  • Makes Insurance More affordable by reducing premium and out-of-pocket costs. Under the plan, 95% of Americans will be insured. In 2013 over 15% of Americans were without insurance.
  • The law spreads risk equally to all insured to end discrimination. In the past you could be discriminated against based on gender or health status. Costs could differ wildly due to factors like age. The ACA limits discrepancies in what you can be charged, and in order to do this, it required that all Americans who can afford to maintain Minimum Essential Coverage began maintaining it in 2014.
  • It sets up a new competitive health insurance marketplace (healthcare.gov) giving tens of millions of Americans access to group buying power and allowing them to compare plans and receive cost assistance.
  • It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next ten years, and more than $1 trillion over the second decade, by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.
  • (Obamacarefacts.com)

    Why people Oppose this
    In a poll produced by CNN, about 40% of Americans responded that they dislike Obamacare. When reading the description of the Obamacare policy, it sounds flawless. Afterall, how can people actually disagree with affordable healthcare? Many Americans have their reasons behind their animosity towards ObamaCare:

    -Mike Dingledine "That's kind of a joke in itself," Dingledine said of his wife's policy, "because insurance doesn't pay for anything until you pay enough to reach the high deductibles they have. And, oh yeah, pay the monthly premiums on top of that." (CNN.com)

    -Clark M. from Washington:"My insurance premium went up 41% as a direct result of ObamaCare.  The law has caused a massive increase in cost and a decrease in coverage." (cagw.org)

    For more answers at to why some oppose Obamacare, visit https://www.cagw.org/stories

    Think About it...
    Now, as a student, a healthcare user, and a citizen of the United States think of what kind of coverage you want yourself , your family, your future children to have? Is Obamacare a government overreach? How could we improve Obamacare?

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