If you live in the United States of America or are a close follower of the American political scene, then you’ve most likely heard your fair share of opinions and comments regarding the Obamacare facts. First things first: Obamacare is essentially the Obama regime’s plan to reforming the American health care system. The debate on the plan has been raging on for years now, on both sides of the political barricade in the United States, with deep-seated echoes throughout most of the Western world, from the more left-wing oriented European states such as France, all the way to the emerging Asian superpowers. But what are the Obamacare facts? Before deciding whose side you want to be on, it’s absolutely essential that you know the facts for yourself.
1. Obamacare is Health Care for America
Although the plan has come to be popularly known by several other names, such as Obama Care, they are all essentially the same thing. Specifically, Obamacare refers to amending the currently enforced Patient Protection regulations, as well as the Affordable Care Act. All these plans are part of the wider, over-arching strategy to reform the American health care industry. These efforts have been triggered by the widespread popular disproval on the costs of healthcare in the United States.
2. Some of Obamacare is already active
While not many people know, or are aware of this, some aspects of the Obamacare strategy for reforming the health care system have already been enforced. The Affordable Care Act mentioned above came into force two years ago. While American citizens who required health coverage (but couldn’t provide it) in the meantime probably noticed, it is safe to assume that the vast majority of the population is not yet aware of this. The main provisions of the Affordable Care act is that preventative serves are covered by one’s insurance plan and forbids insurance companies from dropping their paying customers upon getting sick.
3. The main goal of Obamacare
Irrespective of which side of the debate you position yourself on, it is indisputable that the main goal behind the Obamacare health system reform is to make sure all United States citizens have access to affordable health insurance. It strictly refers to health care coverage, without replacing the private insurance or MedicAid policies citizens take out.
4. Reforming MedicAid
One of the main bones to pick against Obamacare is that the MedicAid system is basically redundant. The health care reform plan also includes a reshuffling of MedicAid, in order for it to cover more people, including those who are now living below subsistence lines. These people, who are basically condemned to suffering from illness and disease without any hope of receiving adequate medical treatment, should be covered by MedicAid, once it has been properly reformed.
5. Improving Community Health Care
The Obamacare facts are these, in a nutshell: this reform does not set out to achieve the impossible goal of granting access to full medical coverage to one and all. The reality of the private health care system, with its often exorbitant costs, will not be easily altered, over the course of a few years. However, it is within the scope of Obamacare to reform community health care centers, in order to make sure that the impoverished have access to a decent bare minimum, at the very least.
6. Redefining Affordable Health Coverage
… both for private individuals, as well as for those who employ them. Once Obamacare comes into force, private individuals will have access to the health care coverage that they can afford. Meanwhile, employers can either provide their staff with coverage that can compare with the one offered via the Health Care for America Plan, or pay a modest, accessible fee—the Tax to Support Obamacare. This tax will be similar in scope and pricing to the currently enforced unemployment and workers’ compensation programs run by the State.
7. To Choose or Not to Choose Private Health Care
Obamacare does not aim to, nor will it ever be able to replace private health care. As such, it is by no means legally compulsory to buy health insurance via the Health Care for America act. People will still be free to take out private policies for their health care needs. However, it is worth bearing in mind that insurance companies, as opposed to the United States Government, are for-profit institutions, who will not lower their margins or costs out of ‘empathy’ with Obamacare.
8. Aiding the Poor, Upsetting the Rich
One of the major moot points in the Obamacare facts debate is the manner in which the program will be funded for. Essentially, individuals who earn upward of $250k will be taxed more for healthcare, under the new Healthcare for America Act. Meanwhile, low-income earners will not see a similar, or directly proportional increase in taxes. The only effect the act will have on them is that it will provide them with access to healthcare.
9. More Options for Small Businesses
Under Obamacare, small business owners will find it easier to medically cover their employees, as the State will offer them Tax Credits, in return for taking out private healthcare plans for their staff. Basically, if you’re a small business employer who chooses to take good care of their employees, the State will reward you with a more complex form of a tax cut.
10. Free Prevention for All
The main aim of the Obamacare plan, also known as the Health Care for America Bill and the ObamaCare Bill, is to make sure everyone, irrespective of their type of insurance plan, has readily available access to free preventative healthcare. According to experts in the field, this exempts so-called ‘grand-fathered private insurance plans,’ until they lose their current status.
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