<< LABOR'S EDGE BLOG ARTICLES

Happy Birthday Health Care Reform—Don’t Let Republicans Spoil the Party

Today is the first anniversary of the landmark Affordable Care Act that has already helped tens of millions of Americans acquire or receive better health care and that has reined in health insurance companies’ most abusive practices.

Yet congressional Republicans keep trying to repeal health care reform. What are they against?  Take a look at just some of the Affordable Care Act’s benefits repeal would destroy.

Also, prescription drug costs could shrink $700 for a typical Medicare beneficiary this year, as the law begins to close the donut hole. The National Council on Aging estimates the savings could reach $1,800 for some.

A recent report finds that the new health care reform law will mean thousands of dollars in health insurance premium savings and out-of-pocket health care costs for working families. For example, middle-class families purchasing private insurance in the new state-based Health Insurance Exchanges could save as much as $2,300 per year in 2014 and a family of four with an income of $33,525 could save as much as $14,900 per year since they also will qualify for tax credits and reduced cost sharing.

On top of taking away health care reform’s benefits and cost savings for working families and small businesses, if  Republican repeal efforts succeed, the Congressional Budget office estimates it would increase the federal budget deficit by $230 billion over the next decade and by $1.2 trillion in the following 10 years.

Something for everyone to celebrate.