Weekly Address: President Obama – The Progress We’ve Made Because of the Affordable Care Act

November 5, 2016 JanF Editors' Choice, Featured Posts, From the White House 3

The President’s Weekly Address post is also an Open News Thread. Feel free to share other news stories in the comments.

From the White House – Weekly Address

This week, President Obama discussed Open Enrollment on the Health Insurance Marketplace, which began November 1 and will end on January 31. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 20 million American adults have obtained health insurance, and an additional three million children have gained coverage since the President took office. The uninsured rate is the lowest level on record. Today, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your preventive care is free; there are no more annual or lifetime limits on essential health care; you can’t get charged more just for being a woman; young people can stay on a parent’s plan until they turn 26; seniors get discounts on their prescriptions; and no one can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. To sign up for health care coverage, visit HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.

Transcript: Weekly Address: The Progress We’ve Made Because of the Affordable Care Act

Remarks of President Barack Obama as Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address, The White House
November 5, 2016

Hi, everybody. Americans have been fighting for the idea that health care is a right and not a privilege since the second-to-last time the Cubs won the World Series. I’m not talking about the 2016 Cubs – I’m talking about the 1908 Cubs.

That’s a really long time. And thanks to the efforts of so many of you, we did it. Today, 20 million more American adults know the financial security of health insurance. On top of that, another three million more kids have coverage than when I took office. In fact, never in American history has the uninsured rate been lower than it is right now – and health care prices have been rising slower than they have in 50 years.

If you haven’t gotten covered yet, now’s the time to do it. It’s open enrollment season. That means you can go to HealthCare.gov and shop for insurance plans in a marketplace where insurers compete for your business. HealthCare.gov is faster and easier to use than ever before. With a few clicks, you can start comparing plans to see which one is right for you and your family. You can even look up your doctor and medications as you shop. Most Americans who get coverage through HealthCare.gov can find an option that costs less than $75 a month. That’s probably less than your cell phone bill.

Now, most of us don’t get our health care through the Marketplace. We get it through our job, or through Medicare or Medicaid. And what you should know is that, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your coverage is better today than it was before. You now have free preventive care. There are no more annual or lifetime limits on essential health care. Women can get free checkups, and you can’t get charged more just for being a woman. Young people can stay on a parent’s plan until they turn 26. Seniors get discounts on their prescriptions. And no one can be denied coverage just because of a preexisting condition.

That’s because our goal wasn’t just to make sure more people have coverage – it was to make sure more people have better coverage. And as we continue working to make the system better, there’s something you can do to help yourself and help the country. Go to HealthCare.gov. Get covered. And if there’s someone you care about who hasn’t signed up yet, help them get covered today, too.

Enrollment is open right now, but only until January 31. If you sign up by December 15, you’ll be covered by the beginning of the year. So go check out HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596, and someone will personally help you find a plan that’s right for you.

Insurance is based on the idea that we’re all in it together. That’s what makes it work. And it’s the same idea that’s always made America great. Thanks everybody, and have a good weekend.

Bolding added.

~

3 Comments

  1. The Obama administration announces plans for electric car charging grid …

    The Obama administration announced Thursday the establishment of 48 national electric vehicle charging corridors, covering nearly 25,000 miles, across 35 states and the District of Columbia.

    This means electric vehicle (EV) drivers in these corridors can expect either an existing or planned charging station within every 50 miles, according to the Obama administration. New roadside signs were also unveiled to help motorists find stations — similar to the way that gas stations signs do now.

    While EVs have been around for about a century, they have struggled to compete with gas-burning cars, due to the cost of batteries and the lack of recharging infrastructure. Gasoline cars were cheaper, and electricity wasn’t as widespread when EVs first appeared, making gas stations more convenient.

    From the DOT and the Federal Highway Administration:

    FHWA intends to support the expansion of this national network through a process that:

    – provides the initial opportunity for a formal corridor designation now and in the future on a rolling basis, without a cap on the number of corridors;
    – ensures that corridor designations are selected based on criteria that promote the “build out” of a national network;
    – develops national signage and branding to help catalyze applicant and public interest;
    – encourages multi-State and regional cooperation and collaboration; and,
    brings together a consortium of stakeholders including state agencies, utilities, alternative fuel providers, and car manufacturers to promote and advance alternative fuel corridor designations in conjunction with the Department of Energy.

  2. In Florida, Latino activists help push against Amendment 1, a measure intended to kill the solar power industry …

    An embattled Florida solar initiative got a new wave of bashing Friday, this time from Latino environmentalists and political leaders who say Amendment 1 would hinder the benefits solar power affords to the state’s Latinos.

    Amendment 1, or the “Rights of Electricity Consumers Regarding Solar Energy Choice,” would work against solar, critics say, by paving the way for utilities to add special charges for solar customers. Similar policies in the past have been blamed for gutting the rooftop solar business in Arizona and Nevada. The ballot initiative could also make solar leasing more difficult if not nearly impossible, critics say.

    “We strongly oppose Amendment 1 because it solely ensures that big utilities maintain a monopoly on electricity,” Yulissa Arce, climate Change program manager at Organize Now, said in a call with reporters Friday. “It stifles the growth of the solar industry in the state of Florida, a state that is increasingly feeling the effects of climate change.”

  3. More “Progress We’ve Made” on the line: Fate of Obama legacy initiatives in hands of courts, successor

    Because Obama during much of his presidency has faced a Republican-controlled Congress hostile to his legislative initiatives, he has often bypassed lawmakers and used executive power to advance policy goals.

    “Despite having majorities in both houses of Congress, Republicans have refused to govern. Instead, this litigious Republican Party has rushed to the courts with partisan lawsuits,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said.

    Those challenging Obama have vowed to fight on unless his successor changes course. […]

    Clinton, backed by Obama in her White House bid, could be expected to leave in place or even expand on his initiatives and to defend them in court. Trump, if elected, could quickly reverse Obama executive orders as promised.

    At risk, the Clean Power Plan:

    The case with the biggest potential long-term impact is the challenge by states and industry groups to Obama’s Clean Power Plan, which would curb greenhouse emissions mainly from coal-fired power plants. The rules are an important legacy issue for Obama. They also are vital to U.S. obligations under last year’s international climate change treaty.

    A federal appeals court heard oral arguments in September. A ruling is not due for months. The case is likely to go to the Supreme Court on appeal.

    The Supreme Court put the regulations on hold in February while the litigation continues.

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