Working to Implement the Affordable Care Act
WEEKLY ADDRESS: Working to Implement the Affordable Care Act
WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama said we
are on the way to fully implementing the Affordable Care Act and
helping millions of Americans. Unfortunately, a group of Republicans in
Congress are working to confuse people and are even suggesting they
will shut down the government if they cannot shut down the health care
law. Health insurance isn’t something to play politics with, and the
President will keep working to make sure the law works as it’s supposed
to, and he encourages everyone to visit HealthCare.gov to find out more
about the law and how to sign up.
The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, August 17, 2013.
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 17, 2013
Hi, everybody. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been visiting with
Americans across the country to talk about what we need to do to secure a
better bargain for the middle class.
We need to rebuild an economy that rewards hard work and
responsibility; an economy built firmly on the cornerstones of
middle-class life. Good jobs. A good education. A home of your own. A
secure retirement. And quality, affordable health care that’s there
when you need it.
Right now, we’re well on our way to fully implementing the Affordable
Care Act. And in the next few months, we’ll reach a couple milestones
with real meaning for millions of Americans.
If you’re one of the 85% of Americans who already have insurance,
you’ve already got new benefits and protections under this law that you
didn’t before. Free checkups, mammograms, and contraceptive care.
Discounted prescription medicine on Medicare. The fact you can stay on
your parents’ plan until you turn 26. And much, much more. And it’s
okay if you’re not a fan of the Affordable Care Act – you can take
advantage of these things anyway.
If you don’t have insurance, beginning on October 1st, private plans
will actually compete for your business. You can comparison shop in an
online marketplace, just like you would for cell phone plans or plane
tickets. You may be eligible for new tax credits to help you afford the
plan that’s right for you. And if you’re in the up to half of all
Americans who’ve been sick or have a preexisting condition, this law
means that beginning January 1st, insurance companies have to cover you –
and they can’t use your medical history to charge you more than anybody
else.
You can find out more about the law, and how to sign up to buy your
own coverage right now at HealthCare.gov. Tell your friends and
neighbors without insurance about it, too. And tell your kids that
there’s a new, easy way to buy affordable plans specifically tailored to
young people.
Many Members of Congress, in both parties, are working hard to inform
their constituents about these benefits, protections, and affordable
plans. But 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 health care law, or, if they don’t get their way, they’ll shut
down the government.
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. And many Republicans are more concerned with how badly
this debate will hurt them politically than they are with how badly
it’ll hurt the country.
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.
Some even say that if you call their office with questions about the
law, they’ll refuse to help. Call me old-fashioned – but that’s lousy
constituent service. And it’s not what you deserve.
Your health insurance isn’t something to play politics with. Our
economy isn’t something to play politics with. This isn’t a game. This
is about the economic security of millions of families.
See, in the states where governors and legislatures and insurers are
working together to implement this law properly – states like
California, New York, Colorado and Maryland – competition and consumer
choice are actually making insurance affordable.
So I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make sure this
law works as it’s supposed to. Because in the United States of America,
health insurance isn’t a privilege – it is your right. And we’re going
to keep it that way.
Thanks. And have a great weekend.
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