Black American Moguls Magazine Winter 2018

Understanding Obamacare Pros & Cons

• It made essential for all insurance plans to cover 10 of the most essential health care problems, thus decreasing the emergency room visits.

• Insurance companies could not refuse insurance cover to anyone, based on pre-existing health problems. Nor could the insurance companies charge premiums based on the health history of the patients.

• There were no upper limits to the benefits, meaning that unlike earlier days they could not refuse to pay if the healthcare bill exceeded one million USD.

• Adding children to parents’ healthcare plan for up to 26 years of age, thus extending the benefits for millions more.

• The middle class (netting up to 400% of the poverty level) receive tax breaks on their dividends. It expands Medicaid to 138% of the central poverty level.

• It was intended to remove the Medicare “doughnut hole” deficit in coverage by 2020.

• Companies with 50 or moreworkers need to provide health insurance, and received the tax benefits for covering these costs.

• It was expected to bring down the budget deficit by 143 billion USD. It was expected to reduce health care costs by government.

DOWNSIDES

• Around five million US citizens lost their health insurance paid by employers. They found it easier to pay the penalty and buy insurance plans through the state-run exchanges.

Nowadays there is lots of disinformation about Obamacare, with most of it being rather negative. It was an act that did not have the President’s true desires in the first place. But an act that contained quite a bit of Democratic compromise to help move it victoriously through Congress. Even at the time of its approval a great number of Americans disapproved it for one reason or another. This has led to its eventual repeal and replacement under the current administration.

So, to understand Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act better, we have created a balanced list of its pros and cons.

Upsides

• It was meant to slow down the upsurge in health care costs, thus providing insurance to far more people.

• It provided free preventive care, meaning much more sought help for earlier neglected conditions.

• Around 10% of the US population relied on the private insurance plans. Private companies had to cancel many of these plans as they did not cover the ten essential benefits made necessary by Obamacare. Worst of all, many did not need some of the essential benefits provided by Obamacare, like maternity care.

• Free preventive care raised the healthcare cost in the short term, as many people who earlier did not go to the doctor decided to take advantage of this benefit.

• Four million people chose to pay the tax instead of paying for coverage.

• Obamacare resulted in the increased income tax for many. One million citizens have to pay tax on income above $200,000.

• 2020 onwards insurance company would have to pay 40% excise tax on the so-called “Cadillac” insurance plans. That is plans with an annual premium of $10,200 or above for individuals, and $27,500 USD or above for families. Many of these people were at higher risk of health problems like elderly individuals or people involved in dangerous jobs.

Dr. Ben Carson

Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act has more benefits than not. However, fixing the holes that are the cons need to be our focus, not repeal of the entire system. Fixing the holes or the problems would ensure all Americans fair and equal access to a necessary human right in a civilized world. Insurance companies do not favor any system which will cause them to no longer profit off the backs of the American people. And political pundits can play with your health because their families already benefit from better healthcare via the same government and by way of taxpayers’ expense. Those members of Congress who oppose Obamacare are not handing over their government sponsored healthcare. So, why are they so busy urging you to do so? Healthcare is one of the biggest swamps that needs draining in America…. Yet President Trump is helping them make gains. WHY? Because he too is supported by big PHARMA and the Healthcare establishment.

Dr. Ben Carson, former conservative Presidential Candidate, neurosurgeon, and former Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital says…

The entire concept of for profits for the insurance companies makes absolutely no sense. “ I deny that you need care and I will make more money.” This is totally ridiculous. The first thing we need to do is get rid of for profit insurance companies. -Dr.

Ben Carson

We could not agree more with Dr.Carson’s assessment of our healthcare system. It no longer serves the American people. When you are critical of these establishment run conglomerates, the fake news media does a propaganda campaign to make

you appear to be a socialist or communist or somehow antiAmerican. It’s disgraceful that Dr. Ben Carson has not been asked to lead and advise on this matter as this is his life’s work. He is an authority unlike any other President Trump could have consulted. Yet, his strong views opposing the titans in the healthcare industry is probably why he was selected to be appointed Secretary of HUD as opposed to Surgeon General. Imagine a renowned medical doctor with Dr. Carson’s credentials and strong opposing viewpoints leading the country’s healthcare direction. The system is broken and the President is clearly becoming more of the problem than anyone could have imagined he would be. Trump ran on draining the swamps, but seems to be throwing our children into the swamp. Midterm elections is all we will say. Never forget! And hold their feet to the fire. The only “special interest” any politician should have is the interest of the American people; the upholding of free markets when it comes to business and commerce, and protecting the rights and liberties of citizens. Some systems that are holding our nation hostage such as healthcare and others, need to be abolished. Profiteering in medicine and healthcare is categorically unconstitutional. And healthcare should never be a part of our free enterprise system, this is immoral in the first place. The Founding Fathers would be rolling in their graves including those Black Founding Fathers who have nearly been erased from the history books of this country.

Swan Simpson is an Author, Speaker, Damn Good Success Coach, Radio Host and has been named one of Who’s Who in Black Atlanta. She is the publisher of Black American Moguls Magazine and the Black Moguls Brand of digital magazines.

Dr.King

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