Healthcare

Americans want affordable, reliable and accessible healthcare


The United States has been the world’s only major industrialized nation without universal healthcare coverage for decades. And because we spend two to three times as much per capita on healthcare as most industrialized countries, President Obama and some of our federally elected representatives decided something needed to be done. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, passed the U.S. Congress and was signed into law in 2010.

  • But in 2017, a new President chose to dismantle it.
  • Remember the relentless "Repeal and Replace” chants?

When Republicans took full control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress in 2017, they had the opportunity to “repeal and replace” Obamacare, or to fix some of the gaps that result in any new comprehensive piece of legislation.

But instead, bit by bit, they began to unravel it leading to today’s frightening medical bills.

For years congressional Republicans failed repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Sure, we Republicans value ‘markets’, but today’s healthcare marketplace is riddled with increasing inequities and requires congressional intervention. Instead of improving the policy, Republicans have left it to the courts.

Many top Republicans are supporting a federal court case that would have the effect of overturning this legislation and throwing millions of Americans into healthcare hardship and financial turmoil.


Let’s Review What the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) has accomplished

First it’s noteworthy that the core principles of “Obamacare” are modeled on a successful statewide healthcare law passed in 2006 under then- Republican Governor Mitt Romney. It was proven to significantly reduce the level of uninsured in Massachusetts.

In 2010 the Affordable Care Act (“ACA,” also known as “Obamacare") passed in the U.S. Congress, without any Republican votes in the United States Senate.

The ACA, or Obamacare, has achieved some surprising benefits:

For example:

  • ACA has saved trillions!
  • In December 2018, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reported that ACA had reduced healthcare spending between 2010 and 2017 for a cumulative total of $2.3 trillion!
    • This is “trillion,” with a “T!”
  • Health care spending in 2017 was $2,000 less per person than it was projected to be!
  • 20 million previously uninsured Americans have received healthcare coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act!
  • Young people can remain on their parents’ healthcare plans until age 26
  • Discrimination against preexisting conditions was removed, providing millions of additional Americans with important new healthcare protections.


Read more in Stat News of March 22, 2019: