The term "Obamacare" was at first a pejorative name given by Conservatives to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a health care coverage initiative signed into law by President Obama in 2010. The President decided not to reject this name, because he believed the initiative would be something the country would appreciate and the association of his name was appropriate since the program came into being under his administration.
The program has had many benefits, but...
The term "Obamacare" was at first a pejorative name given by Conservatives to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a health care coverage initiative signed into law by President Obama in 2010. The President decided not to reject this name, because he believed the initiative would be something the country would appreciate and the association of his name was appropriate since the program came into being under his administration.
The program has had many benefits, but is still controversial partly due to some problems and partly due to the overwhelming and constant attempts by Conservative politicians to dismantle it. These efforts to overturn Obamacare stem seemingly from party bias, a general feeling that the ACA takes away freedom of choice in health care, and in some cases an overall dislike of the President.
Some of the "pros" of the ACA include the program's ability to offer health coverage to many Americans who did not have it previously, due to cost or limitations within their employment situation. This means that health care costs have been lowered across the board for those Americans who now have insurance coverage and do not have to pay out of pocket for health care costs, which can be very high. Health care coverage is now also more affordable than before the ACA came into being, and the ACA also rules that 80% of premiums must go directly towards health care costs. Also, insurance companies are not allowed to make unreasonable rate increases. As well, insurance companies are no longer allowed to deny coverage to anyone with a pre-existening condition. All of these measures have made health care more affordable and more accessible.
The "cons" associated with the ACA include the fact that some people have to pay higher premiums than they paid before (although in most cases this is because their coverage is now more comprehensive). Also, people who do not have health insurance can be fined (this measure was in place after Governor Mitt Romney enacted similar legislation for the state of Massachusetts prior to the ACA). There are complaints about new taxes that are helping to subsidize this program, effectively meaning the wealthy are helping the poor to obtain health care (although some economists apparently believe the long term impact of the ACA will be better for the federal budget). Another complaint has to do with the complicated enrollment process, though this has not been true across the board. Finally, some employers have been cutting back on employee hours in order to avoid being compelled to provide insurance coverage, although this is not a flaw in the ACA itself, but a problem with its implementation.
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