- Paul Begala: My family register since Obamacare which provided better benefits, low price
- He said law provides greater security for people with pre-existing conditions
- Begala said that predictions of the Republican Party of the undoing of Obamacare have not materialized
- It says that more Americans are likely to approve of Obamacare as time passes
Editor's Note: Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and CNN political commentator, was a political consultant to Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992 and was Adviser to Clinton in the White House. A consultant to the Super PAC is pro-Obama, the actions of United States priorities. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) - I signed up for health care through the affordable care Act last week.
I did it for one reason and one reason: was a good deal for my family. In fact, it was better treatment than we were before the ACA.
The site, which received so much negative publicity (well deserved) by not launching, is sucked. The options generated for us were more clearly delineated that had given us in the past by a private insurance broker. The benefits were clearly spelt out, as they were the deductibles and co-payments. We are fortunate in that we don't need subsidies, and even the exchange of Obama found us even a better deal we had found in our own.
Let me be clear: this was not a political statement. This is the health of my family. If I have the best care through the Web of Palin I would. In addition, business decisions are taken in our family, by my wife, who has an MBA and a master's degree in public administration. I have not had a checkbook from the Reagan administration, but because this decision was very personal and consistent, we did it as a team.
In the end, it wasn't a difficult decision. On the one hand, we have the best coverage under the ACA. On the other hand, it costs less. I'm not a believer persuasive Republican, but even I was surprised how my obviously superior options are under the new law. I knew that there was no death panels, and I imagined a plan originated by Newt Gingrich, the Heritage Foundation, and Mitt Romney could not be Marxist. But had not taken the time to do the calculations to determine whether the ACA would be much better for me. It is.
The exchange of federal health best served me that the private sector had. So I signed up. My doc is still my doc. My insurance company is still a private corporation - not (gasp!) a government agency. (Although sign today and if Medicare that they would leave me; the senior State health insurance program is fantastic). Conclusion is that the ACA works, period.
And here's the beauty part: even if you don't want to use in all exchanges, stay to benefit from the Affordable Care Act. If you or someone in your family has a pre-existing condition, you're a winner under the ACA. The same if, God forbid, you have a disease or an accident that would have exceeded their limit of coverage pre-Obamacare: ACA outlaws coverage caps. If you are a young adult can now be covered in plan from their parents until the age of 26, or a patient from Medicare that you need preventive care or has fallen into the Donut Hole, come along too.
Mitch McConnell: Another view of Obamacare
All those rights - and more - it would disappear if the Republicans had repealed the Affordable Care Act. The House controlled by Republicans has 54 times voted to do just that.
Despite spending millions in advertising, the law is losing the debate. The latest Kaiser Family Fund survey shows that, although the new health law is even it is not popular, 59 percent of Americans want to keep the ACA as - is or modify it slightly. Only 18% repeal it altogether and another 11% to repeal it and replace it with an alternative to the Republican party.
As more and more Americans actually deal with first hand health reform, since they actually receive new rights and new features, and as the parade of horrible right-wing fails to materialize, I suspect that support for the ACA will continue to grow.
As one of the millions of Americans who benefit from ACA, I just want to say thank you, President Obama. And thank you, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and all in Congress who voted for the Affordable Care Act. (Obviously, the individual situation of each person is unique. It is very possible that some people will not share my positive experience. You have nothing to lose by checking it.)
Thanks also to all the Republicans who voted for it. Wait, there are none. That's fine, I guess. There were Republicans who voted for the Clinton Economic Plan in 1993, and led to balanced budgets and 23 million new jobs. The Republicans of the time predicted doom and depression of pass the Clinton Economic Plan. Their successors are predicting the same about the Affordable Care Act. And it will only look like fools in the eyes of history.
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