Trump Gets One Thing Right About Obamacare
The program is too costly for many Americans, but replacing it isn’t the answer.
Credit where due.
Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Last month, Donald Trump (yet again) said he wanted to ditch Obamacare, saying costs are “out of control.” President Joe Biden, in response, has vowed to protect and expand the law that’s extended health coverage to millions of Americans. While Trump and his fellow Republicans don’t have much credibility on this issue, it would be a mistake to dismiss his comments out of hand. Obamacare is, by design, too expensive for many Americans.
The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, made sweeping changes to the US health-care system. It included measures to prevent insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions and enabled children to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26. It also required most health plans to include free preventive care — such as colonoscopies, mammograms and well-child visits — and expanded Medicaid coverage to include more low-income families.