Photo credit: Shutterstock
As Trump prepares to take office, repealing ObamaCare will remain one of his top priorities. All the talk on ObamaCare has millions of Americans wondering: should we keep it or repeal it? Here’s my take on why we should keep it.
Reason #1: healthcare is a human right. As it currently stands, if ObamaCare were to be repealed, nearly 30 million people would lose healthcare insurance. These people simply cannot afford insurance otherwise. Just because you’re poor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to basic healthcare.
Reason #2: it protects against discrimination. Prior to ObamaCare, insurance providers charged higher rates for women. They also charged higher rates for pre-existing medical conditions. Under ObamaCare, charging a higher rate based on gender or health-status is strictly prohibited.
Reason #3: young adults can stay on their parents’ health plan until the age of 26. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this reduced uninsured rates among young adults by 46%.
Reason #4: more children and teens are covered. Changes made under ObamaCare mean that more children and teens qualify for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This program allows children from low-income homes to receive either free or low-cost healthcare. The rates of uninsured children are now at an all-time low thanks to ObamaCare.
Reason #5: elimination of the donut hole. Prior to ObamaCare, those who had Medicare prescription drug coverage were subject to a limit (AKA “donut hole”) on how much their provider would cover. When that limit was reached, Medicare recipients were responsible for covering all other costs out-of-pocket.
Republicans can argue all day long about how “expensive” ObamaCare is, but here’s the thing: there’s always been universal healthcare coverage. Did you know that before ObamaCare was passed, anyone could go to the emergency room and receive medical attention regardless of their ability to pay? With ObamaCare, people don’t need to flood the emergency rooms anymore. They can now go to their regular doctor for non-emergency check-ups. Is that not a better approach to healthcare?
*Check out my post on Trump’s newly introduced healthcare plan here.
