Issues surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been a major source of debate and controversy over the past seven years. Enacted in 2010, the ACA was the signature effort of President Obama to lower the number of uninsured individuals in our nation. While it did provide new coverage to approximately 20 million Americans – 12 million under Medicaid and 8 million on health exchanges – it has also had a number of unintended and undesirable consequences.
I've met with citizens who've told me of their satisfaction with the ACA; I've also spoken to many, particularly small business employers, who are confronted with premium increases and unaffordable deductibles. We've got to fix what isn't working in the healthcare law and keep what does work. Our first step is to be candid about the ACA's promises and its consequences.
