The Affordable Care Act (ACA), more commonly referred to as Obamacare, was signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in March 2010. According to the law’s proponents, Obamacare would expand access to affordable health insurance, improve healthcare quality, and reduce costs.
Well, the media is finally admitting Obamacare hasn’t made health insurance more affordable — a stunning admission, considering “affordable” is quite literally in the official name of the law. No one can pretend that making health insurance more affordable for Americans wasn’t the supposed point of the law. Yet it seems like each year, health insurance not only costs more but covers less.
And now the media is finally willing to admit it — even if they’re not saying it directly.
“Health insurance costs are far outpacing inflation, leaving more consumers on the hook each year for thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses,” reports CBS News. “At the same time, some insurers are rejecting nearly 1 in 5 claims. That double whammy is leaving Americans paying more for coverage yet sometimes feeling like they're getting less in return, experts say.”
Frustration over denials and medical costs has fueled an outpouring of vitriol against health insurance companies in the wake of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Also last week, a similar outcry led Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to reverse a decision to limit anesthesia coverage during surgeries.
The anger may be rooted in fears that unexpected medical costs could prove financially ruinous, as well as concerns that essential care could be denied by an insurer, putting health and well-being at risk even for those who have health insurance.
Some of those anxieties are well-founded: The top cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. is health care-related debt, underscoring the financial stresses that can stem from high medical costs.
In fact, most adults say they worry about their ability to pay for health care services or unexpected medical bills, a sentiment shared by people regardless of whether they're financially comfortable or struggling, a KFF survey found earlier this year.
In 2024, average health insurance premiums rose to $25,572 for families and $8,951 for single workers, increasing 6% and 7% respectively, according to KFF. Premium growth has outpaced inflation almost every year since 2000.
Remember when we were told that Obamacare would make health insurance more affordable?
— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) December 10, 2024
Thank @BarackObama. pic.twitter.com/iZ93gw8OWg
Well, that's funny. Barack Obama and the Democrats promised that the "Affordable" Care Act was going to make health care more affordable. Worse, Democrats and the media have insisted that Obamacare is working. They’ll cite statistics claiming that more Americans are covered than ever before, but ignore the fact that Americans don’t find health insurance affordable at all.
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"Unhappiness with insurers stems from two things: 'I'm sick and I'm getting hassled,' and the second is very much cost — 'I'm paying more than I used to, and I'm paying more than my wages went up,'" Rob Andrews, CEO of the Health Transformation Alliance, told CBS News. He added that "A lot of people think they are getting less" from their insurers.
Well, duh.
Although the CBS News article doesn’t mention “Obamacare” or the “Affordable Care Act” by name, it effectively acknowledges that Barack Obama’s signature legislation has been a monumental failure.
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