Yesterday, after months of suspense, CJSC John Roberts read the court's decision to a waiting nation, declaring the humongous ACA constitutional, and by extension making a lie of the
accusation by right-wing extremists (seems like the entire Republican party these days) accusations that the Democratic led 111th congress overreached on their constitutional authority and that the President ignores the constitution - all rationale minded people knew this was bogus of course. But the barrage of political hack job to dent the potential achievements of the nation's first black President, and perhaps pay Democrats back for their attacks (justified or not) on George W. Bush, had led to a gross misinformation of the electorate. In 2010, The Republicans were soundly rewarded at the polls for their duplicity - so far, there have no incentive to change their ways.
But the American people should know what lies under this law, and what it means for their freedom. Here are some important impacts:
You are free to change jobs, start a new business or stay longer in school - because various provisions in the law, including the one banning denial of insurance due to pre-existing conditions, the one expanding options for individuals and small businesses to buy insurance through state run exchanges , and the one enabling people to stay on their parent's plan up to age 26, will ensure you are covered. This indeed is freedom to pursue your happiness.
Medicare recipients who until two years ago had to deal with a widening donut hole, thanks to the Medicare part D law enacted by the prior Republican congress and signed by the previous Republican President, now receive rebate to reduce the impact of that donut hole, and have hope that the hole will soon be completely covered. Freedom to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without having to choose between taking a life saving medication, and putting food on the table.
People who typically make too little income to afford insurance (and have no coverage at work), but make too much too qualify for medicare, can now have access thanks to two mechanisms in the law - the expansion of medicaid eligibility, and the availability of Federal subsidy to individuals and families. - Now that is freedom to pursue happiness.
Insurance companies now have to cover certain basic health issues, including many preventive services. If you have ever had insurance and discovered that it covers nothing when you actually need it, then you will understand the value of this provision. Many young people, particularly young college age women fall into this category - now, help is here.
The absence of annual, and life time caps is a great stress deliver for people with medical conditions, who may have insurance but had to cope with the idea that when they need insurance, they will have to go bankrupt just because the insurance companies have limit on their claims. That stress has now been listen - Again they are free from stress and able to pursue happiness.
The provision of the law that has stirred the most umbrage from people, and one that hypocritical right-wingers have latched on to, also happen to be the one the President was initially suspicious of, but one that is essential, if health care in America has to remain a private for profit business, the individual mandate to purchase insurance, if you can financially afford it. Sounds like an encroachment of personal liberties, until you stop for a moment and think about it :
1. Everyone, from cradle to grave, will at some point need health care - even if it is just for internment.
2. Health conditions are the least predictable of human conditions - unless of course you we all can have our genes mapped , but this too, is an health care cost.
3. The cost of health care is widely unpredictable, and only a very select few an afford an astronomical cost of a caring for a severe or critical condition, at a short notice. Imagine having to cough up quarter of a million dollars to pay for a heart transplant ! Sure some multimillionaires might be able to afford it, but not Joe the Plumber on annual income of twenty-five K.
4. For every uninsured who gets care in emergency room (only option they have other than paying out of pocket), everyone else pays the bill - masking the true cost of health care.
It is easy to conclude, like many Republicans including Mitt Romney, and Iowa Chuck Grassley, realized, that Only an individual mandate will save a for-profit health care model. The preferred alternative to progressive and liberals, and a legion of independents is "Medicare for all" or the "Single Payer System". The individual mandate is a provision to maintain individual freedom. It has zero negative impact on any one in the United States, but helps keep health-care-as-a-capitalist-system folks happy. But they are the ones shouting the most, and if they continue at this rate, they will actually get us to single-payer quicker than any liberal would have hoped for.
accusation by right-wing extremists (seems like the entire Republican party these days) accusations that the Democratic led 111th congress overreached on their constitutional authority and that the President ignores the constitution - all rationale minded people knew this was bogus of course. But the barrage of political hack job to dent the potential achievements of the nation's first black President, and perhaps pay Democrats back for their attacks (justified or not) on George W. Bush, had led to a gross misinformation of the electorate. In 2010, The Republicans were soundly rewarded at the polls for their duplicity - so far, there have no incentive to change their ways.But the American people should know what lies under this law, and what it means for their freedom. Here are some important impacts:
You are free to change jobs, start a new business or stay longer in school - because various provisions in the law, including the one banning denial of insurance due to pre-existing conditions, the one expanding options for individuals and small businesses to buy insurance through state run exchanges , and the one enabling people to stay on their parent's plan up to age 26, will ensure you are covered. This indeed is freedom to pursue your happiness.Medicare recipients who until two years ago had to deal with a widening donut hole, thanks to the Medicare part D law enacted by the prior Republican congress and signed by the previous Republican President, now receive rebate to reduce the impact of that donut hole, and have hope that the hole will soon be completely covered. Freedom to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without having to choose between taking a life saving medication, and putting food on the table.
People who typically make too little income to afford insurance (and have no coverage at work), but make too much too qualify for medicare, can now have access thanks to two mechanisms in the law - the expansion of medicaid eligibility, and the availability of Federal subsidy to individuals and families. - Now that is freedom to pursue happiness.
Insurance companies now have to cover certain basic health issues, including many preventive services. If you have ever had insurance and discovered that it covers nothing when you actually need it, then you will understand the value of this provision. Many young people, particularly young college age women fall into this category - now, help is here.
The absence of annual, and life time caps is a great stress deliver for people with medical conditions, who may have insurance but had to cope with the idea that when they need insurance, they will have to go bankrupt just because the insurance companies have limit on their claims. That stress has now been listen - Again they are free from stress and able to pursue happiness.
The provision of the law that has stirred the most umbrage from people, and one that hypocritical right-wingers have latched on to, also happen to be the one the President was initially suspicious of, but one that is essential, if health care in America has to remain a private for profit business, the individual mandate to purchase insurance, if you can financially afford it. Sounds like an encroachment of personal liberties, until you stop for a moment and think about it :1. Everyone, from cradle to grave, will at some point need health care - even if it is just for internment.
2. Health conditions are the least predictable of human conditions - unless of course you we all can have our genes mapped , but this too, is an health care cost.3. The cost of health care is widely unpredictable, and only a very select few an afford an astronomical cost of a caring for a severe or critical condition, at a short notice. Imagine having to cough up quarter of a million dollars to pay for a heart transplant ! Sure some multimillionaires might be able to afford it, but not Joe the Plumber on annual income of twenty-five K.
4. For every uninsured who gets care in emergency room (only option they have other than paying out of pocket), everyone else pays the bill - masking the true cost of health care.
It is easy to conclude, like many Republicans including Mitt Romney, and Iowa Chuck Grassley, realized, that Only an individual mandate will save a for-profit health care model. The preferred alternative to progressive and liberals, and a legion of independents is "Medicare for all" or the "Single Payer System". The individual mandate is a provision to maintain individual freedom. It has zero negative impact on any one in the United States, but helps keep health-care-as-a-capitalist-system folks happy. But they are the ones shouting the most, and if they continue at this rate, they will actually get us to single-payer quicker than any liberal would have hoped for.
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