By Jerry Geisel, Crain News Service
WASHINGTON (Aug. 20, 2013) — As a key implementation date nears, President Barack Obama is touting the benefits of the healthcare reform law and denouncing Republicans who oppose the law.
Beginning on Oct. 1, when new public health insurance exchanges start accepting applications for coverage going into effect Jan. 1, "You can comparison shop in an online marketplace, just like you would for cellphone plans or plane tickets. You may be eligible for new tax credits to help you afford the plan that's right for you," President Obama said last week in his weekly radio address.
"In addition, those who already have health insurance have received such new benefits as free checkups, mammograms and contraceptive care. Discounted prescription medicine on Medicare. The fact you can stay on your parents' plan until you turn 26," he said.
While many members of Congress are working to inform constituents about the benefits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, "there's also a group of Republicans in Congress working hard to confuse people and making empty promises that they'll either shut down the healthcare law, or, if they don't get their way, they'll shut down the government," the president noted.
That approach, President Obama said, is politically motivated.
"A lot of Republicans seem to believe that if they can gum up the works and make this law fail, they'll somehow be sticking it to me. But they'd just be sticking it to you," he said.
"Think about that. They're actually having a debate between hurting Americans who will no longer be denied affordable care just because they've been sick—and harming the economy and millions of Americans in the process," he said.
This report appeared in Business Insurance magazine, a Chicago-based sister publication of Tire Business.