Health Insurance

Affordable Care Act, the Obama ACA program brought about after much work, compromise and dedication to helping people. The program attempted to solve a problem the nation has fretted about for generations. The solution – the ACA – was not perfect, but it was a good start toward better solutions for generations to come.

No one else had been able to muster the support to address the problem. Perfect? No. A promising first step? Yes.

The few following years witnessed some adjustments to strengthen the program and reduce the government’s costs. Not great changes, but they helped. More work is needed to improve the program over time. Subsequent congresses need to do that work to serve the needs of the American people.

Interestingly, Democrats have done most of this work. Republicans have failed time and again. They are quick to condemn and criticize but never offer a replacement program. Never. They seem to think the public does not deserve universal healthcare.

Even now, Trump and his congress have attempted to eliminate ACA. They have cut funding and are forcing a huge premium increase in the market for patients covered by the program. Republicans continue to say they have a better program but never, and I mean never, produce any plan, let alone a better plan.

This is hard work. This is nearly impossible, especially when every attempt is made to make the cost neutral to the government. That simply is impossible. Address the real issue which is delivering affordable healthcare to 340 million citizens. Other countries do this. They have done so for generations. America is the richest nation on the planet, yet it cannot agree that their citizens deserve fundamental healthcare. Very strange.

Start with the objective and work backwards for the solution. Meanwhile, continue to fund ACA until the program is replaced with something better. The resulting program will be stronger and more effective if it is done with everyone’s effort and ideas. Be a part of the solution, not empty opposition.

One wonders if the Republicans are even capable of such creation and service. Demonstrably, Democrats are.

November 24, 2025

 

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