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Lauren Pea
Allison Fernley
English 1010
1 May 2016

Is Mandatory Healthcare Under the Affordable Care Act Beneficial?

On March 23, 2010 the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most commonly
known as Obama Care, was signed into law. Its purpose is to provide
affordable health coverage for Americans through federally funded subsidies
and to help reduce U.S. healthcare spending. It officially expanded in 2014
and required large employers to insure full-time workers by 2015-2016. Open
enrollment for 2015 in Obama Cares marketplace started in November 15th,
2014 and ended February 15th, 2015. In 2014 studies showed that 44 million
Americans were without health care because of costs. This law allows
Americans to access health care no matter your financial circumstance.
Before the ACA, insurance companies could deny you for pre-existing
conditions or drop you when you got sick; insurance companies can no
longer do that. There are many who are in favor of health care benefits under
ACA, however there are many who oppose it.
Many have wondered how does the ACA affect me? Is it beneficial for
me and my family? There are many pros and cons about the ACA. Many non-

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supporters of the ACA believe that the government should not be involved in
Americas health care system. They argue that minimal governmental
intervention is beneficial in which leaders have very little governing powers
over laws and decisions that are created. They believe Health care needs to
be private, not only for the sake of revenue for businesses, but, why should
the federal government have any say in your personal health? They object
and say that the governments involvement in our health care system
corrupts and causes more burdens upon Americans.
Another known non-beneficial element with mandatory health care
under the ACA is, if Americans make it their personal choice to be medically
uninsured, they will be fined and held responsible for paying a tax penalty.
The annual fee for not having insurance for 2016 is $695 per adult and
$347.50 per child; this penalty will grow higher, and higher each year. I have
heard many insights from some of my classmates and coworkers who were
subject to the fee; all of the insights were unpleasant. They expressed their
feelings of their limited rights and freedom to choose. They shared how they
were all physically healthy and did not ever need to see a doctor. The most
they would go into see their physician was once every couple of years.
These conclusions, which they discussed add weight to the argument,
mandatory health care under the ACA is not beneficial and is not just law. In
the article Whats in the 2,700 pages of Obama Care? the Federal
Government now requires everyone to have health coverage and ultimately
what is at stake here is that the ACA violates the First Amendment. How is

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this so? It forces citizens to pay for other peoples life-ending abortion drugs;
religious employers who dont pay for the abortion-causing drugs are
penalized; and life-ending drugs (abortion) are free of charge while the cost
of other life-saving care continues to charge. This violates Americans
religious freedom. Paying into mandatory health care under the ACA
ultimately funds and supports Planned Parenthood which is the top funder of
abortions, forcing pro-life American citizens to pay into a pool that supports
abortions; thus robbing individuals of the first amendment (freedom of
speech and religious beliefs).
Despite the many negative insights about the ACA being nonbeneficial, there are many who believe that the mandatory health care under
the ACA is a great aid. Upon closer inspection only three percent of Planned
Parenthood actually has to do with abortions. Through Planned Parenthood
and the Health Insurance Market Place more jobs are actually offered;
increasing employment and decreasing poverty. Numerous Navigators,
Agents, Brokers and Market Place Representatives have been hired to help
fellow Americans enroll in coverage. I work for the federal government and
am a Health Insurance Marketplace Agent. Just a brief background about
myself, I am a fulltime college student paying out of state tuition and I work
fulltime. With the Health Insurance Market Place I am able to live comfortably
and I am stable financially, my job helps me pays my bills and tuition on
time. Each day consumers call in wanting to know more information about
affordable health and dental coverage for their families. I help them fill out

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an application which takes into account their household size and income.
Based off of the information they provide me with, Im able to help them
determine how much of a subsidy or assistance they are eligible for to help
them obtain affordable coverage. After submitting their application and going
over their results, I pull up all of the plans offered for their state and area. I
discuss various premiums, deductibles, maximum out of pockets and
copayments to help them enroll in a plan that is most affordable and
convenient for their family. I then send off their information to their selected
health plan insurer along with their cost sharing reductions, enrollment and
the discounted price of their coverage. It is a very fulfilling job and I love that
I am able to help Americans afford their medical coverage.
In Losing and Winning Under the ACA in 2015 Heather Boerner writes
about the positive changes that came to pass as the Affordable Care Act
kicked off in 2015. She points out 5 major positives of the ACA. First,
Consumer protection: meaning health insurance companies cannot deny
coverage to an individual with a pre-existing condition and there are set
restrictions on the cap or the amount of money spent on copayments,
coinsurance, and premiums. Second, Mandatory Coverage: meaning all plans
under ACA must provide preventative care. Third, Payment Reform: which
includes bundled payments. Fourth, Tougher Scrutiny on Quality; this allows
Medicare and Medicaid Services to cut reimbursements for hospitals with
high readmission rates. And lastly, Improved Access to Coverage; this
expands Medicaid for individuals within the poverty levels allowing

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Americans to shop for medical coverage in a competitive way; individuals

may also qualify for subsidies.
Other sources wholeheartedly endorse that although the federal
government is involved with health care, it allows everyone to access
affordable medical coverage without insurance companies raising premiums
and deductibles. Sure not everyone needs to see their doctor every year or
need to get prescription, but not everyone is exempt from natural disasters,
accidents, pregnancies or illness. There will be a time where individuals will
need to get checked in. Health Care under the ACA enables Americans to
have that choice of a high coverage plan or even a simple catastrophic plan
for a rainy day. Either way, Americans are able to choose what is best for
their own personal situations. In addition it eliminates insurance companies
from denying Americans with pre-existing conditions; 1 in 2 Americans have
a pre-existing condition. If you or someone you know who is diagnosed with
cancer or diabetes, the ACA will offer you protection no matter how sick you
are. If youre still concerned about paying a fee for not having health
coverage the ACA also provides numerous exemptions for hardship, loss of a
family member, bankruptcy, natural disaster, unpaid medical expenses,
being homeless or unemployed and many more. The continuation of the list
is provided on the official Market Place government website at
Healthcare.gov.
Furthermore, within a one year, the ACA accomplished and exceeded
its projected benchmark they set in 2014 before the Open Enrollment Period

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took effect. At the end of Open Enrollment, 8 million people signed up for
plans, when they predicted 7 million. That is 8 million more people who will
benefit and not have to worry about unexpected illnesses, disasters, and
accidents. And although others claimed that the 8 million who signed up
were existing covered individuals who rolled over, research by Kaiser Family
Foundation surveys that the majority of the 8 million were not insured before
the ACA law took effect. Now hospitals with expanded Medicaid have a
greater increase in admissions and decreases in uninsured admissions. As
mandatory healthcare under the ACA continues to grow and expand so are
our benefits. Indeed there still may be some non-supports of the ACA, but in
contrast there have haven proven beneficial results of the health care
mandate.
Why are we so concerned with mandatory health care under the ACA?
Is it because of the consequences that might occur if we dont enroll in
coverage? Is it because were now offered coverage even with our preexisting conditions? How can I benefit from the health care mandate? There
are many beneficial and non-beneficial elements of mandatory health care
under the ACA. My overview all in all I feel is that yes the ACA is indeed
beneficial. As a Health Marketplace agent I am able be at the frontline and
witness the positives of the health care mandate. As an American Im able to
know for a surety that having health coverage is better than no coverage.
Even at the very minimal, a catastrophic plan can help sky rocketing medical

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bills or piece of mind thus benefiting consumers and the ACA health care
mandate.

Works Cited

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Boerner, Heather. "Losing and Winning Under the ACA in 2015." F American
College of
Physician Executives (2015): 58-61. SLCC LIBRARIES. Web. 21 Mar.
2016.
Carroll, Aaron, MD, MS. Obamacare First Anniversary Update. Digital
image.Youtube/Healthcare Triage. Jama, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 30 Mar.
2016.
"Obamacare." Alliance Defending Freedom. Alliance Defending Freedom.
Web. 30 Mar.
2016.
Carney, Timothy P. "GAO Report Shows How Obamacare Subsidizes
Abortion." American Enterprise Institute. American Enterprise Institute
for Public Policy Research, 09 Sept. 2014. Web. 5 Apr. 2016.
"Should the Government Be Involved in Health Care?" The Premier Online
Debate Website.
2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
"Get 2016 Health Coverage. Health Insurance Marketplace."HealthCare.gov.
U.S. Centers for

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Medicare & Medicaid Services. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

<http://www.healthcare.gov/>.

Reflection
1. Describe the feedback you got on your presentation, on your rough draft,
and from me. Give specific details. How did your revise your paper using
this feedback? The feedback that I was given during my presentation in class
was that most of my classmates didnt like the penalty for not having health
insurance. To avoid the penalty they enrolled in the cheapest plan offered.
The vibe I got from them was that they were so-so about mandatory health
care. They didnt hate it or praise it, although they were happy for those who
had pre-existing conditions. My rough draft I felt was good because it helped
me measure and think how I want to portray health coverage under the ACA
I listed my arguments by their sources (which Ive learned through my one
on one conference is not beneficial). I love the fact that I can speak directly
with my Instructor because a second opinion really opened up my eyes to
errors I hadnt even noticed. I look back now and see how unorganized and
frustrating it is to read. I took into account all the noted made in the margin.
And got rid of the whole structure. You advised me to start with the
negatives, second the positives and my overview. You helped me notice my
ethos and I did my best to capitalize on it. Hopefully I submitted all the
corrections and outline correctly, Im really excited!
2. How, specifically, did you revise for your peer audience given what you've
learned about them in this go-round and throughout the semester? Based off
of the peer audience in class. Their main concern was having to deal with the
penalty. Most of my peers are healthy and never really needed health care in
the first place. So what did was look up specific exemptions and that they
could relate to and qualify for. There are many listed on the Healthcare.gov
website and I also wrote how even having the simplest of coverage through a
catastrophic plan is way better than not having any insurance at all. In fact I
also reminded them how not all of us are excused from accidents, disasters
or pregnancies. We will all need insurance at one point or another.
3. How well do you think you have met the criteria for this paper? Give me
details and point to places where I can see you meeting the criteria. Im so

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happy this is the hardest Ive ever worked on a paper and I feel so confident
about it because you pointed out my Ethos. After going over your notes I
went over chapters 5 and 8 and did my best to incorporate the templates
and transitions. I did my best to use They and get specific information for
the websites. I tried and hopefully I did well with my semicolons I really like
using them now rather than boring periods and comas. I did my best to
organize all my negatives in the first half. I tried to bring up the positive
arguments to override those negative points, for example the Planned
Parenthood negative. I mentioned how only 3% of it actually deals with
abortions and I also brought the positives of how there are now job increases
because of it. For every negative I tried to match it with a positive and vice
versa so that the audience could get a feel for both sides.