July 8, 2012 |
The June 28th Supreme Court decision that let Obamacare stand gives the
president, and all Democrats, an opportunity to remake the case that
the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a good thing. That's a blessing because many American voters do not understand Obamacare.
The most recent
USA Today/Gallup Poll
finds Americans evenly split on Obamacare with 46 percent agreeing with
the Supreme Court decision, 46 percent disagreeing, and eight percent
unsure. While Democrats and Republicans divided along party lines, a
slight plurality (45 percent) of Independents approved the ruling.
Nonetheless, many of those who say they do not like Obamacare do not understand it. An April
Kaiser Family Foundation Tracking Poll
found that only 51 percent of respondents believed they had enough
information about how the law would affect them personally. However,
when asked their opinion about specific provisions of the law -- "the
law will prohibit insurance companies from charging women higher
premiums than men" -- typically a strong majority approved.
When voters understand Obamacare they like it. (Even Republicans.)
President Obama, and all Democrats, needs to do a better job of
conveying the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. Here are 5 points to
remember:
1. Obamacare reflects values, not policy.
At the root of the
healthcare controversy are two different conceptions of America. Most
Democrats believe that we belong to a "benevolent community" and work
together for the common good; as President Obama has repeatedly said,
"It is that fundamental belief: I am my brother's keeper, I am my
sister's keeper, that makes this country work. It's what allows us to
pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American
family." Linguists
George Lakoff and Elisabeth Wehling refer to this notion as "The Public," "everything that our citizenry as a whole provides to all."
On the other hand, Republicans believe the U.S. is a collection of
rugged individuals, each competing in the free market. Lakoff and
Wehling term this worldview, "The Private," noting "a free market
economy depends upon a strong Public."
From the benevolent-community perspective government, The Public, is
how we organize to get certain things done: build roads, construct
schools, and make sure that every American has a minimal standard of
living including access to affordable healthcare. From the
rugged-individual concept, government is an encumbrance; the Private
already provides healthcare for some Americans.
2. Healthcare is a right, not a product.
Those of us who believe
in the benevolent-community vision of America view healthcare as a
right that should be enjoyed by all Americans. Those of us who believe
in the free-market vision of America see healthcare as a product;
Republican Rudy Giuliani once likened healthcare to a flat-screen TV,
"If you want a flat screen TV, buy one; and if you don't have the money,
go earn it. If you can't, too bad, you don't deserve it."
3. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) regulates insurance companies; it does not regulate healthcare.
Obamacare
guarantees access to healthcare for all Americans -- except illegal
immigrants -- by regulating insurance companies. President Obama
defended this by observing:
Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on
the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from
bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are
middle-class Americans. Some can't get insurance on the job. Others are
self-employed, and can't afford it, since buying insurance on your own
costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your
employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still
denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance
companies decide are too risky or too expensive to cover. We are the
only democracy -- the only advanced democracy on Earth -- the only
wealthy nation -- that allows such hardship for millions of its people.
There are now more than 30 million American citizens who cannot get
coverage. In just a two-year period, one in every three Americans goes
without health care coverage at some point. And every day, 14,000
Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone.
4. Obamacare will lower insurance costs.
The Affordable Care Act will lower insurance premiums
for most Americans. First, it requires everyone to have insurance and
eliminates free loaders. Second, it requires insurance companies to
spend money on services and not overhead.
5. Obamacare will decrease the deficit.
Mitt Romney, and Republicans in general, have spread
misinformation
about this. However, "in February 2011, the CBO estimated that Obama's
health-reform law would reduce the deficit by $210 billion over 10
years."
To summarize, the healthcare debate comes down to five points. Two are
value driven and three are factual. Obamacare stresses the primacy of
the Public over the Private and asserts that healthcare is a right for
every citizen. Furthermore, Obamacare regulates insurance companies
thereby lowering consumer costs and the deficit. The Affordable Care Act
is worth defending.
Bob Burnett is a writer and activist in Berkeley, Calif.
No comments:
Post a Comment