BARACK OBAMA MAKES RETURN TO WHITE HOUSE IN CELEBRATION OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
.It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years since President Barack Obama first signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010. The ACA was, and still is today, an unprecedented piece of legislation that affords American Citizens a low-cost alternative to health care. While there’s opposition, one would have to argue that the ACA is more popular today than it was at its inception. To date, over 31 million Americans have enrolled in the state marketplace and HealthCare.gov.
April 5th, 2022, marked the first time since leaving office in 2017 that former President Obama visited the White House. The itinerary for the day was a scheduled luncheon with President Biden and Vice President Harris to celebrate the success and achievements of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Former President Obama, and his former VP, now President Biden, had very little catching up to do, as they speak often. Since taking office in January 2021, the Biden Administration has taken measures to fortify the Affordable Care Act, and improve upon the foundation set by the Obama Administration.
The visit by Former President Obama signifies one of his greatest achievements for humanity. Cleverly nicknamed the “Obama Care Act”, the standing piece of legislation is an example of the government working for the American people. With Biden’s recent struggle in the polls due to a record 40 year inflation, high tensions due to the war in Ukraine, and the recovery efforts from the Covid19 pandemic, the news of Obama’s visit to the Whitehouse was a ray of sunshine. President Biden, while Vice President, stood as a strong ally of the ACA as he served under President Obama. In just over a year, the Biden Administration has overseen nearly 14.5 million new signups pushing total enrollees to 31 million Americans covered under the ACA.
The opposition to the ACA seems to rear its head every few months with the fight recently going to the Supreme Court, which sided with the decision to uphold the 2010 Act. The comprehensive act has undertaken several adaptations since it was signed into law; however, the basic principle of making health care more accessible has improved. During the pandemic, the ACA saw its largest growth with nearly a 23% increase.
The well welcomed visit to the White House from former President Obama signifies hope, stability, and a strong statement of commitment to expand coverage. As the ACA gains popularity and support, it gives the government leverage to negotiate and drive down health costs for millions. As President Obama took the podium after a hearty introduction by Vice President Harris, he gave a speech that reminded all Americans the reasons and importance of the Affordable Care Act. President Obama reminded us of all of the struggles his Administration faced in opposition to set the bill into law. With nearly 12 years since the ink dried on the piece of legislation, Obama gave compliments to both President Biden and VP Harris as they have taken the lead to improve the law. President Biden took the opportunity to accept; however, Biden made it a point to urge in his speech to the American people that; “the job is not done, the fight carries on.”. Biden promised to sign a bill that would expand and offer ease for many more Americans to enroll. President Biden went on to expand that coverage will not only be afforded to the primary covered, but would give options to purchase family health subsidies.
The ACA main purpose is to level the playing field for both health insurance companies and health care providers. Under ACA, pre-existing conditions are covered and children of insured are covered to age 26. If the ACA was repealed, it would mean no health care for millions of Americans.
Accompanied with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional leaders, President Biden signed the Executive Order to Strengthen the Affordable Care Act.
“Remember We are the United States of America” ~ President Joseph Biden