President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton joined forces Tuesday to explain the intricacies of the Affordable Care Act and to urge Americans to set politics aside and honestly assess whether the health law is a good deal.
Saying that the Republican Party has made his signature legislation a litmus test for party loyalty, Mr. Obama described his battle against misinformation as he tried to tell people that they could get health care for less than the cost of their cellphone bill.
The two presidents shared a stage in New York at the Clinton Global Initiative conference one week before state-based health-insurance exchanges are set to open. Mr. Clinton played the role of interviewer, offering affirmation and encouraging the president to tout assorted benefits of the health law.
Mr. Obama said Republicans have launched an unprecedented effort to scare and discourage people from enrolling.
“Normally, this would be pretty straightforward,” he said. “A lot of people don’t have health insurance; a lot of people realize they should get health insurance. But let’s face it, it’s been a little political, this whole ‘Obamacare thing.’”
Mr. Obama mapped out the mechanics of the law, explaining the new health-insurance marketplaces that will offer coverage plans for many who do not have insurance. He addressed criticism of the employer mandate and the requirement that everyone carry health insurance or face penalties.
“This is where a lot of the controversy and unpopularity came in because people generally don’t like to be told, ‘You’ve got to get health insurance,’” he said. “And employers don’t like to be told, ‘You’ve got to give your employees health insurance.’ But as a society, what we cannot do is to say: ‘You have no responsibilities whatsoever, but you’ve got guaranteed coverage.’”
The president suggested that Republicans are fighting the law in part because they’re worried that once people have health insurance, they won’t want to give it up.
“Essentially, they’re saying, people will like this thing too much, and then it will be really hard to roll back,” Mr. Obama said.
For his part, Mr. Clinton urged people to sign up, saying that the Affordable Care Act is “a big step forward for America.”
During the 2012 campaign, Mr. Clinton proved to be an effective and popular surrogate for Mr. Obama. And as the rollout date for the Affordable Care Act has approached, the former president has been called upon again to help make the case for the law. Mr. Clinton spoke about the Affordable Care Act earlier this month in Arkansas, urging everyone to work together to implement it.
The conversation between the two presidents launched what will be an extended effort to inform people of the health care options that will be available. As Messrs. Clinton and Obama sat in armchairs, chatting about the health care law, Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) stood on the floor of the Senate, decrying the health care law in an extended speech that he vowed to continue until he was “no longer able to stand.”
Original source: Top Stories - Google News
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