In 2010 America’s most significant overhaul and expansion of healthcare coverage since Medicare and Medicaid were passed, known as the Affordable Care Act. The positive effects from its passage have been monumental: In the past 11 years, it has helped millions of Americans, saved lives, and strengthened the American healthcare system.
The Affordable Care Act has helped Americans across the country in various aspects ranging from more affordable drug prices, protection for preexisting conditions, improving access to healthcare for young adults and rural communities, expanding protections for women and disabled people, and many other things. It has reduced the number of uninsured Americans to historically low numbers and helped more people access healthcare, especially low-income earners and POC.
In the years since it was put into effect, over 20 million Americans have registered and over 135 million with preexisting conditions are protected. Since the law’s passage, it’s estimated that the ACA has saved seniors $20 billion on prescription drug costs, and has saved women an estimated $1.4 billion in birth control pills alone.
Aside from savings, the ACA outlawed discriminatory practices such as gender rating, which is where women were estimated to be charged 1.5 more for coverage than men. Under the ACA, young adults ages 18-24 have greater access to health coverage. As a result, the uninsured rate for this group fell by half, dropping 15% in 2017 alone. It also requires insurers to accept all applications without charging for pre-existing conditions or demographics, making healthcare a more equal institution.
The improvements the Affordable Care Act has made on healthcare, work, wellness, and everyday life are vast and cannot be understated. Since its passage, and especially during the Trump Administration, the nation witnessed the Republican’s attack on essential, affordable health care. With the facts of the ACA’s impact on our side, the time is now more than ever to show support for the legislation that has impacted every American.