The Affordable Care Act Issues - Essay Example

They are at liberty to be insured by an agency of their choice. The Act makes healthcare more accessible and affordable to individuals, small business owners, and families by reducing premium costs and offering tax relief. It is termed the biggest middle-level tax reduction in the history of healthcare (US Department of Health & Human Services, 1). Members of the middle class who do not have healthcare coverage will now be compelled to contribute towards the insurance coverage of the rest of the people. This has a beneficial effect on all because a majority of the citizens will end up paying less than what they would have otherwise been required to pay, including those in the middle class. I see no justification in opposing an Act that provides all these benefits, apart from selfish political interests that would rather exclude the poor from accessing healthcare to ensure a comfortable life for the rest. America is the only developed country that leaves out millions of its poorest population from healthcare (Liptak, 1). The approval of this Act will be a bridge between the poor and a decent healthcare program.

The Act regulates the insurance industry by setting and imposing rules that discourage abuse. It forbids insurance companies from denying insurance coverage to citizens who have pre-existing health conditions while according to insurance clients power to appeal an insurance company’s assessment that deny treatments ordered by doctors (Liptak, 1). I feel this sets the ground for all industry players while giving citizens one of their basic rights.

I feel the Act is not discriminatory. It extends Medicaid and treats all States equally. It has also preserved the children’s insurance plan and made enrollment for individuals and families much simpler (US Department of Health & Human Services, 1). Americans with disabilities also stand to gain as the Act enhances community-based care for them. Expanding home care to those with long-term needs of care is also a step in the right direction. It boosts community-based care for citizens with disabilities and presents States with openings to spread out home care services to those with long-term needs care. Reducing the costs of prescription drugs and subsidizing payments for uninsured Americans is beneficial to citizens (US Department of Health & Human Services, 1). Another gain I feel from the Act is the idea of keeping people healthy before they join the Medicare program, hence reducing Medicare’s need to pay hospitals to care for the uninsured. The Act keeps Medicare’s commitment to the next generation of seniors.

I feel that Chief Justice Roberts did more than just support the Act. He put the individual directive on more solid ground by terming it a justifiable exercise of the government's capacity to tax (Liptak, 1).