Press Secretary Robert Gibbs hosted a media conference call with university journalists to discuss the Affordable Care Act and its impact on young Americans.
The Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The name Affordable Care Act is used to refer to the final, amended version of the law.
The House of Representatives voted yesterday to repeal the act by s vote of 245 to 189. Now the Senate will decide whether to repeal the act.
The act has a number of benefits for older individuals, but also young Americans as well, according to the White House administration.
For Michigan specifically, the White House said up to 32,800 young adults might be able to stay on their parents plan until they reach the age of 26. Nationally, up to 2.4 million young adults, of which up to 1.8 million are uninsured and almost 600,000 who purchase coverage in the individual market, could gain coverage through their parents.
“The president believes one of the best ways to provide stability is by providing coverage on your parents’ plans,” Gibbs said.
Senior citizens, those above the age of 65, will also derive benefits from the act, Gibbs said. He said the average senior citizen would see their health care costs increase by about $3,500 if the bill were repealed.
The act will help to reduce health disparities among minorities by expanding Medicaid. This will help the 21 percent of African Americans, 32 percent of Latinos and 20 percent of rural Americans who are uninsured according to the White House.
Gibbs said the act would help cover 1 in 3 Americans who previously had no insurance. Gibbs also said the bill would help to end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
“Up to 129 million Americans under the age of 65 have pre-existing conditions,” he said. “In 2014, discriminating against anyone with a pre-existing condition will be illegal.”
Gibbs said it was important to mention the act has generated jobs.
“Since health reform became law, our economy has created over a million private sector jobs,” he said. “Now is not a time to take a step backward.”
Gibbs said repealing the law would do more harm than good for the United States economy. The law will lower the deficit by over $100 billion this decade and by over $1 trillion in the following decade.
“In a fragile economic time, we simply cannot afford to move backwards,” he said. “The costs for employees and businesses will skyrocket. This bill allows businesses to get tax cuts.”
The administration said the law will reduce small businesses’ health care expenses by giving them $40 billion worth of tax credits over the next ten years.
According to Gibbs, the act would have a “modest impact” on premiums.
“Obviously health insurers are looking for more people to ensure and they’ll provide different ranges and steps,” Gibbs said. “You’ll have several options. The plans provide a base level of coverage.”
Gibbs acknowledged parts of the bill being confusing to Americans.
“There’s no doubt that we all could do a better job of explaining the benefits of health care,” he said.
The goal of the administration is to explain to “each and every American” what they get in healthcare according to Gibbs.
Gibbs said Republicans are misinformed when it comes to knowing what Americans want.
“Why would anybody be doing something that the American people don’t want to do?” Gibbs said. “I actually do think this is something where Republicans will pay a political price because they’re simply not listening to the American people.”
However, some Americans might have a different opinion. In a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, 46 percent of Americans think the law is likely to cut jobs, 54 percent think it’s likely to hurt the economy and 62 percent see it as increasing rather than decreasing the federal deficit. According to the poll, 50 percent oppose the reform, while 45 percent support it. 13 percent of Americans who oppose the bill believe it does not go far enough.
Even so, Gibbs said he is confident the American people support the act and there “isn’t any doubt” the legislative impact of the vote is “symbolic in its gesture.”
During the call, Gibbs discussed recent court cases involving the health care bill.
“Thus far, the federal court system has rendered three separate health care decisions,” he said. “In two of those, the court actually ruled in the favor of the administration … I don’t think it would be a stretch by any means to say that the administration isn’t going to be successful in that, but ultimately the legislation will be ruled constitutional.”
Gibbs said despite all of that, the push for health care for all Americans will continue.
“Even as the legal sideshow happens, the busy work and important work of implementing the bill goes forward,” Gibbs said.
President Obama echoed Gibbs sentiment in a statement released Tuesday evening.
“So I’m willing and eager to work with both Democrats and Republicans to improve the Affordable Care Act. But we can’t go backward,” the president said. “Americans deserve the freedom and security of knowing that insurance companies can’t deny, cap, or drop their coverage when they need it the most, while taking meaningful steps to curb runaway health care costs.”
Kalpen Modi, associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, said members of the Obama administration will be holding a conference call with young Americans the day after the president’s State of the Union Address this month. On the 26th, David Plouffe, assistant to the president and senior advisor, and Stephanie Cutter, assistant to the president for special projects, will discuss a range of issues such as jobs and education.
Those interested in participating on the call, can find more information at whitehouse.gov/youthcall.
