Republicans never seem to tire of telling horror stories about the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. Too bad the lame complaints of pitiful "victims" usually fall apart under the least scrutiny. And, of course, if they can't find real stories, they're happy to make stuff up, even with hired actors, as a Koch brothers-funded group did in Louisiana.
The ACA is an immense improvement for one simple reason: Your insurance company can no longer jerk you around like a puppet on strings. You are no longer subject to the arbitrary whims of a company whose devotion to its beloved bottom line means it has more incentive to deny coverage than to provide it.
Let's remember some of the differences introduced under the ACA. First, pre-existing conditions no longer bar millions of Americans from coverage. Second, there is no yearly cap to reopen a huge potential money sinkhole annually. And, most importantly, there is no lifetime cap. This means you no longer have to worry your entire life savings could be drained away by a single catastrophic medical mishap. What price can be put on your peace of mind?
So even if you had a policy that was satisfactory to you, there is absolutely no way it was comparable to a new ACA-compliant policy. It was comparable only in the same sense that a hot dog is comparable to a steak-and-lobster dinner.
Why do Republicans seem so relentless in spreading misinformation about the ACA? Simple. They are terrified the American people will finally realize that they have the same right to universal and affordable health coverage that is taken for granted in every other developed country -- and that the main obstacle to securing that right is the Republican party.
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James J. Amato
Duluth
