Obamacare (Washington Insider Magazine) -It has been over 10 years since former President Barack Obama created one of the most beneficial healthcare acts for all people.
The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, was signed into law in 2010 with the goal of expanding healthcare coverage to every citizen in the United States. Since then, it has saved over 20 million people’s lives by protecting those who have pre-existing conditions and lowering or eliminating patient costs.
Not only that, but Obamacare made it so that breastfeeding mothers were supposed to be given breaks at work, creating an organization to help the Center for Disease Control, and expanding Medicaid to give healthcare access to people with low income.
According to American Progress, the Act has also helped women more than any other person in the country. Prior to the Act, women were charged nearly two times more than men for insurance, especially in pregnant women, as they were considered pre-existing conditions. Now, it gives breastfeeding mothers a break from work, lowered costs of insurance, and maternity coverage.
Along with women, minorities were greatly protected by the ACA as well. According to Time, the uninsured rate fell 10 percent for African-Americans after the ACA was implemented. Children were allowed to stay on their parents insurance until age 26, which helped low-income families by a great deal. This not only helped parents save money, but it provided financial security, according to American Progress.
Due to the constant efforts of the Trump Administration, however, the ACA is not like it was 10 years ago. According to Time, it has managed to get the individual mandate ruled unconstitutional, allowed plans that skirt ACA coverage requirements, slashed funds that helped people sign up for insurance, and imposed new regulations on Medicaid – such as new premiums and work requirements.
Despite these changes, Obamacare is still the way to go, and 55 percent of Americans also agree and are in support of the law, according to Time, which is an all-time high.
Links:
10 Years Later, Obamacare’s Complicated Legacy Continues | Time
10 Ways the ACA Has Improved Health Care in the Past Decade – Center for American Progress
