Lets start talking about what the Affordable Care Act does to help America!

I think it’s about time us progressives start talking about why the Affordable Care Act was passed in the first place and how it will help millions of Americans.  In the wealthiest nation in the world , 48 million people in America do not have medical insurance. That’s simply wrong…While the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, it does a lot of great thing…here are a few highlights (source NY Time Editorial 3/23/13). 

·  EXPANDING COVERAGE More than 34 million people will be able to access affordable coverage.  Starting in 2010, all insurers and employers that offer dependent coverage were required to offer coverage to dependent children up to age 26. An estimated 6.6 million people ages 19 through 25 have been able to stay on or join their parents’ plans as result, Some 71 million Americans have received at least one free preventive service, like a mammogram or a flu shot, and an additional 34 million older Americans got free preventive services in 2012 under Medicare. Private insurers are now required to cover children with pre-existing conditions, which means that an estimated 17 million such children have been protected against being uninsured.

·  SAVING CONSUMERS MONEY Private insurers are required by the law to spend at least 80 to 85 percent of their premium revenues on medical claims or quality improvements, or they must pay a rebate to consumers. The law also provides for prescription drug discounts to Medicare beneficiaries. More than 6.3 million older or disabled people have already saved more than $6.1 billion on prescription drugs since 2010 and will save even more as a gap in coverage, known as the doughnut hole, is filled in by 2020.

·  REINING IN HEALTH CARE COSTS Sharp declines in the annual growth rate in overall health care spending and in Medicare’s cost per beneficiary have eased the pressure on federal budgets and on private insurance premiums.