President Obama has managed a lot of firsts during his time in office. And this week he's added another to the list: He became the first sitting president to have an article published in one of the most prominent medical journals.
The article, published in JAMA, starts by providing evidence that the Affordable Care Act has improved the quality of care Americans get and made health care more affordable and accessible. But it also lays out what President Obama believes to be the next steps in improving our country's healthcare system. Specifically, that would be introducing a public plan option — and lowering the country's skyrocketing drug prices.
"I am proud of the policy changes in the ACA and the progress that has been made toward a more affordable, high-quality, and accessible healthcare system," the article states. "Despite this progress, too many Americans still strain to pay for their physician visits and prescriptions, cover their deductibles, or pay their monthly insurance bills; struggle to navigate a complex, sometimes bewildering system; and remain uninsured."
In total, the piece cites 68 different studies and government reports. Howard Bauchner, the journal’s editor-in chief, told Bloomberg that the article went through two revisions and additional editing over two months.
Although Obamacare has helped in many ways, the paper argues, there's still plenty for the next president to pick up where Obama will leave off.
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