It’s About Time We Hear a Few Positive Stories About The Affordable Care Act

It seems the media is focused solely on the problems with getting the Affordable Care Act and it's website running smoothly. All we hear about is how insurance companies are making things difficult for American's who want affordable health insurance. Isn't that what the reform is all about in the first place? What we don't hear enough about is the fact that, millions of Americans are benefiting from the new law. Here are a few examples.

Mother Jones gives us the story of Dianne Barrette who's $54 a month plan wasn't even insurance.

She would have true protection and access to health care, not sham coverage. A bronze plan would replace her $50 doctor's office discount with free preventive care services, including mammograms, cover hospitalization and other services, and cap her out of pocket costs at slightly more than $6,000 a year.

If you saw the 2007 documentary 'Sicko', you may recall the story of two-time cancer survivor Donna Smith who had to move in with her kids due to cancelled insurance. Healthpolicies.org tells us:

The Connect for Health agent helped Smith find a mid-level silver plan that will cost $450 per month after a $72 per month federal tax subsidy. It’s still expensive, but Smith is a two-time cancer survivor and is facing a relapse. Now she can schedule tests and treatment and will have the peace of mind that she’ll be covered come Jan. 1

Next comes the 49 stories that the media has ignored about the successes of the affordable Care Act. Media Matters reports that the Baltimore Sun explains:

The state has about 800,000 uninsured and officials say just over 16,000 have completed applications online and been told whether they qualify for subsidies. More than 1,120 have enrolled in a plan. More have filled out paper applications with the help of 'navigators' hired to aid consumers

Also, The Gavel reports on the many who claim to be saving thousands of dollars on premiums from they used to pay.

Bryan Tackett, 33, was amazed at the choice of policies on the Washington, D.C., exchange. A contractor at a government relations firm, Tackett has been paying just under $400 a month for a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan with “not terrible, not great” coverage and a $1,500 deductible. But he enrolled in a gold Kaiser Permanente plan on the exchange that has no deductible and “good” co-pays. It includes dental benefits and an annual eye exam — all for about $270 a month.

Despite the fact that most of the State of Kentucky voted against the president in the 2012 election, most stand to benefit tremendously from the new health care law. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has made several media appearances touting how the ACA is helping out his constituents. Here is one of those appearances.

Many experts say the ACA will level out the playing field on health care costs for all Americans. By 2022, it's estimated that the ACA will have extended coverage to 33 million Americans. Already many women; young adults under 26, families who've exhausted a lifetime limit and those who've been denied insurance due to preexisting conditions are supporting the Affordable Care Act. On the other side of the coin, there still are, and most likely will be, millions of Americans that will always oppose this law.  Many will not purchase insurance and pay the initial small fine. After three years, those fines will grow expeditiously and they'll hopefully realize that having health insurance is a good thing, for all Americans.