If you don’t comply with the individual mandate, what happens to you? You can be subject to five years in prison. -Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) 11/18/2009
Actually, the law specifically states that people who don’t pay the penalty cannot be charged criminally. It also forbids liens or levies placed on property for failure to pay.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
A little less than 50 percent of the people in this country depend on some form of government benefit to help provide for them. After Obamacare, it will not be less than 50 percent; it will be 100 percent. -Rick Santorum, 03/06/2012
Actually, the new law will make coverage affordable to those who cannot afford it now, but the number of people receiving assistance will be well below 100 percent of the population. According to Politi-Fact.com about 60 percent of the population will be receiving some form of government assistance. This assistance includes a tax credit for private insurance, Medicare or coverage through another government program like the VA or federal employee benefits.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
“…we won’t have anywhere near enough doctors to care for the expanded volume of patients that Obamacare will create.” -Marc Seigel, National Review, 03/30/2012
The new law will give more Americans coverage that will help them afford care, and in turn, there will be more demand for services such as primary care, which is already in short supply. Congress anticipated this problem, however, and increased reimbursement and funding for primary care doctors and other health professionals including physician assistants and nurses. President Obama’s administration recently announced an additional $250 million to boost the supply of primary care providers.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
Plan elimination is the first major consequence of PPACA that small-business owners likely feel. -National Federation of Independent Businesses, 07/2011
Actually, studies by the Congressional Budget Office, the Rand Corporation, and the Urban Institute have shown how employers will continue to have strong incentives to cover their workers. They will continue to compete for the best employees by offering benefits that employees want. Employers and employees will also still have strong tax advantages for employment-based coverage.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
The president specifically promised the American people that ‘Obamacare’ would not cover those who are here illegally. He misled all of us. -Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), 08/15/2011
Actually, the health care law goes out of its way to prevent benefits from going to illegal immigrants. It continues the current ban on coverage for illegal immigrants in Medicaid and extends the ban for all new benefits. Moreover, illegal immigrants won’t be able to buy coverage with their own money through the new public program called an insurance exchange.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
Obamacare will lead to a government takeover of health care. -Mitt Romney, 05/11/2012
Actually, the health care law provides Americans with a choice of private health insurance plans; it does not offer a public option or provide Medicare-for-all as some members of Congress proposed. Instead, it lets individuals choose their own coverage and provides them a menu that compares the price and quality of insurance plans.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
Obamacare is…the largest tax increase in the history of the world. -Rush Limbaugh, 06/28/2012
Actually, the largest tax increase in the United States over the last seventy years was during World War II. The revenue from the provisions of the health care law is one-tenth that size. It is also one-third less than the tax law President Ronald Reagan signed in 1982.
Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.
BREAKING IT DOWN: The Affordable Care Act has been widely discussed and debated, but remains stubbornly misunderstood. Most core provisions of the law are actually viewed very favorably by the public. Our recent infographic to illustrates the anatomy of ObamaCare and highlights how the individual responsibility requirement will only affect 6% of the U.S. population.
The Supreme Court issued their decision on health care reform today… what now?
We argue that supporters of the Affordable Care Act must use this moment to go to back to basics and explain to people what they are getting in this bill—or what they are losing.
Our Advice:
Don’t take a victory lap. The fight is far from over.
But…stop selling the law. Start explaining it.
Use this decision as a way to help people understand how they can get help with their health care now and in the future.
Your Message:
This ruling means you have stable and secure coverage forever
The fight is now over. Congress debated, the Court decided—this is done.
Now that the fight is over, this is how you are going to get stable and secure coverage:
If you have a pre-existing condition, you are assured of always getting health care.
If you have son or daughter without coverage, you will always be able to put them on your policy until they are 26.
If you become gravely ill, there are no limits on your benefits.
If you are a woman, you can’t be charged higher premiums (starting in 2014).
If you need preventive care, you won’t have a co-pay or deductible.
If you lose your job, you won’t lose coverage (starting in 2014).
If your employer doesn’t provide coverage, you will be able to buy affordable coverage (in 2014).
The Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare” or ACA) has been widely discussed and debated, but remains widely misunderstood. Many core provisions of the law are viewed favorably by the public, except the individual mandate — the most critical piece, without which the plan cannot survive.
This recent infographic examines the anatomy of this phenomena and asks why 66% of the public views the individual mandate unfavorably when it will affect less than 6%.
When the gavel bangs down this month and the Supreme Court issues their decision on health care reform, there will be a split second before the tsunami of reaction. Everyone will collectively be thinking… what now?
In this memo, Third Way’s Senior Fellow for Health and Fiscal Policy, David Kendall, offers advice to supporters of the landmark Affordable Care Act about reacting to the decision under three scenarios: a favorable ruling upholding the law, an unfavorable ruling striking down much of it, and a ruling striking down the individual mandate only.
No matter how the court rules, we argue that supporters of the Affordable Care Act must use this moment to go to back to basics and explain to people what they are getting in this bill—or what they are losing.
