Today first of three days of arguments
Obamacare goes under scrutiny at the Supreme Court today, the start of three days of oral arguments about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
Some of the legal issues of concern about Obamacare are the limits on Congress’s authority to regulate economic matters and whether Congress can put conditions on the money it gives states. This decision will affect the ability of Congress to address national problems with national solutions.
The U.S. Department of Health and Social Services recently released a statement on the two-year anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, claiming that the law is indeed making a difference in the lives of Americans.
According to the statement, more than 5.1 million seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare saved over $3.2 billion on prescription drugs because of Obamacare. Also because of the Affordable Care Act, 45.1 million women can receive recommended preventive services without having to pay a co-pay or deductible. Important preventive services, like mammograms and Pap smears are free. In addition, 2.5 million more young people have health insurance coverage because they can stay on their parents’ health insurance plan. It’s reducing premiums and lowering costs. Insurance companies can no longer raise premiums by double digits without justification. The health care law also requires that premium dollars must be spent primarily on health care, not administrative costs like overhead or CEO salaries, making the most of premium dollars. Obamacare also protects Americans with pre-existing conditions such as cancer or asthma. Nearly 49,000 people have already enrolled in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, and it is now illegal for children under 19 to be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.
The Republicans in Congress, while opposing Obamacare since day one, have yet to offer an alternative solution.
Learn more about Obamacare here.
