Two sides to Affordable Care Act

Recently the House of Representatives and the Senate voted for the 62nd time to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. There are numerous arguments on both sides of this issue.

The Wall Street Journal states that this law has resulted in higher health insurance premiums and caused a major disruption of health care markets. Supporters of the Affordable Care Act point out that the costs of premiums and government funding of the act remain below initial forecasts and state that health care spending is rising at its lowest rate in five years.

Debating Obamacare on a national level has its place, but there are more personal ways to look at this situation. I am acquainted with a couple who worked very hard at their business for decades, and it was successful enough to provide them with a modest living; but not enough to buy health insurance. The Affordable Care Act changed this situation, and with the passage of Obamacare they and nine million other people were able to obtain insurance. For my friends this proved to be very fortuitous because in the past year one of them contracted a terminal illness that continues for a lengthy period of time before it is fatal.

The next bill that goes through the House and the Senate to repeal Obamacare should simultaneously create a new system which will enable individuals now covered by Obamacare to obtain health insurance which will be able to provide for adequate and competent medical treatment while also being affordable.

JOHN PIEPHO, Cape Girardeau