discussion
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was specifically designed to provide more Americans with healthcare coverage, to reduce medical costs, and to make health indicators more transparent. Data on the ACA shows that it has met those goals. Some believe that the ACA has been a resounding success, while others oppose the ACA (and seek to repeal the law, i.e., current efforts by House and Senate Republicans).
Review the following chart on the pros and cons of repealing ACA as a starting point:
Pros of Repealing Obamacare : You don’t have to obtain insurance or pay a penalty fee. Less taxes on top 2%. Businesses with over 50 full-time employees don’t have to insure full-timers. No cuts to Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Tax payer dollars are not used to subsidize healthcare.
Cons of Repealing Obamacare: 1 in 2 Americans can be denied health care coverage or treatment because they had been sick in the past. No free or low-cost insurance for those making less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Level through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Businesses with less than 25 full-time employees won’t get tax breaks of up to 50% for the cost of their employees’ health insurance on Obamacare’s Health Insurance Marketplace. Today, almost half of America’s uninsured are small business owners, employees, or their departments. Medicare goes unreformed and continues to bankrupt our country. Tens of millions of our nation’s poorest, including millions of children, go without health insurance. The majority of people without health insurance are poor working families.
Then, conduct independent research on both positions. Choose a position and respond to the following points
- Why is understanding our healthcare system relevant in Community Psychology? (2 points)
- Identify some issues with the healthcare system, presently, in the US. (2 points)
- Explain if you support or oppose repealing the ACA. Support your position. You must provide data (not included in chart) to support your position. (6 points)