Goals and Ideological Debates Surrounding the Affordable Care Act
On March 23, 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The new law authorized the reform of the U.S. healthcare system, which many previous presidents had attempted to implement. He made significant changes to the U.S. medical system between 2011 and 2014. The provisions included in the healthcare reform and patient protection were aimed at expanding access to medical care, increasing consumer protection, and drawing particular attention to disease prevention.
It is argued that reform means the advent of socialism in America. Medical care is not an inalienable human right, but a private matter for each individual. Individuals should be responsible for their own health.
Economic Outcomes and Market Reactions to Healthcare Reform
However, like many previous healthcare reforms, this reform has failed. The idea underlying “Obamacare,” which involved young and healthy Americans purchasing a medical policy to cover the costs of insurance for older people, has not been realized. Large insurance companies began to withdraw from the program, and those who remained raised insurance premiums by an average of 25% in 2017. There is also dissatisfaction with the fact that many pay significant contributions for what they do not need (BY Davalon, 2022).
Implementation Challenges and Public Criticism of Obamacare
Additionally, technical problems with the Obamacare website arose from the very first day of its operation. Technical issues with the Internet portal, which has become a vital element of the reform, have added fuel to the criticism. There were complaints about its technical imperfections and constant failures. Soon, the president apologized, and the situation was resolved.
It was not possible to control the cost of insurance premiums. “Unfortunately, insurance is becoming unavailable. Everyone’s insurance premiums are constantly rising,” is one of the typical complaints. A significant increase in insurance premiums occurred before the reform.
Reference
BY Davalon. (2022). History and timeline of the affordable care act (ACA).