The Affordable Care Act turns four years old this weekend, and despite glitches, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi defended the healthcare overhaul as a winner, The Hill's Healthwatch reported.
"We don't weigh its value as to what it means politically. We weigh its value as to what it means to the health, well-being, economic and health security of America's families," Pelosi told Healthwatch this week. "We just couldn't be prouder."
Both Pelosi and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) acknowledged premiums may rise under healthcare reform, but argued costs will increase at a slower rate, which will ultimately provide real consumer savings.
"Healthcare prices have historically risen much faster than inflation, and that's why premiums used to go through the roof," Van Hollen told the publication. "Compare premiums to what they would have been in the absence of the Affordable Care Act. That's the real question here."
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confirmed premiums were likely to rise in 2015, but at a much smaller pace than what's occurred since 2010, FierceHealthPayer reported Thursday. The increase in premiums will vary, depending on the region, state and insurer. These increases are due to the Obama administration's changes to the healthcare reform law, which allow insurers to renew nongrandfathered plans for two more years.
Even after four years, the industry gives the healthcare reform law mixed reviews. About 53 percent of more than 3,330 adults disapprove of the 2010 healthcare law while 41 percent approve, according to new poll from the Pew Research Center released Thursday.
Despite these stats, Pew also found opponents of the healthcare law would rather see elected officials try to make it work rather than see the law fail. A majority of ACA opponents, who represent 30 percent of the overall public, want to see the law work, while 19 percent want to see the ACA fail.
To learn more:
- read Healthwatch article
- here's the Pew Research Center poll