It's been nearly five years since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, and two since it was fully implemented in the United States. The critiques — particularly from the right — have been scathing since the outset, and last week we saw nearly every potential GOP presidential candidate say, one after the next, that they would repeal the ACA if elected to the White House.
But, despite all the mud being thrown, what's clear year over year is that Obamacare is actually succeeding. The open enrollment periods thus far saw 6 million people sign up for coverage through the new marketplaces in 2013; in January 2015, 9.5 million more joined those ranks.
What's more: A new report released by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that the number of uninsured continues to decline: During the the first quarter of 2015, seven million fewer people were uninsured than in 2014. The number of children covered by private insurance has increased by nearly 3%, while the number of uninsured adults between ages 18 and 64 has decreased by 3.6%.
"The Affordable Care Act is doing exactly what proponents want it to do, and millions of people are gaining the benefits," Ron Pollack, the founding executive director of Families USA, told Refinery29. He encourages ACA critics to review the facts.
"In Washington and among politicians, there’s always going to be a lot of rhetoric. But with respect to to the ACA, the concerns expressed by opponents haven’t panned out," Pollack said. "Since [the Affordable Care Act] was enacted, we've had 50 attempts to repeal, and they've all failed."
"That doesn’t mean it’s perfect," Pollack added. "It’s a foundation for us to build upon."
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