Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

By Steven J. Smith

The Health Care Reform Bill that was signed into law by President Barack Obama, some would argue, is the greatest piece of legislation in the United States since President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965. Opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care would argue that it restricts individual freedom, it is to costly and as Rush Limbaugh states the Act will, "lead to the destruction of America."

Some 45 years ago President Johnson and the progressive Democrats faced opposition to the historic passage of Medicare, as President Obama does today. Medicare according President Johnson has been, "the most revolutionary and most beneficial measure for older Americans since we passed Social Security back in 1935." Johnson added, that older Americans "will no longer have to suffer from misery and neglect because they cannot afford the cost of modern treatment." He went on to say, "I predict 30 years from today this bill will be a welcomed and permanent part of our nations heritage that no representative would ever dare to repeal."

Johnson was spot on in his analysis. President Obama has made a similar claim to the historical and practical impact that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will make upon the lives of Americans of all ages. Here are some of the benefits of the new Health Care Law.

1. 95% of Americans will have health insurance.

2. Companies will no longer be allowed to deny people coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

3. Companies will no longer be allowed to drop people from coverage when they get sick.

4. Small businesses who can't afford to purchase insurance be able to now from a variety of competing plans.

5. The federal budget deficit will be cut by $138 billion over the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion over next 20.

6. Seniors on Medicare will pay less for their prescription drugs because the law closes the "donut hole" gap.

7. Create or save more than 2.5 million jobs over the next decade.

8. Young adults will be able to remain on their families insurance plans until age 26.

The same fear mongering and name calling that characterized the Medicare Act is happening now with the Health Care Act. Many opponents of the Health Care Reform are obstructionist who are opposed to anything President Obama does. Their attempts to block health care reform was done simply for political purposes. One Republican senator declared, "If we're able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio recognized these scare tactics and stated, "I go back to 40 years ago when the Medicare Bill was passed. People like Bob Dole, Strom Thurmond, Donald Rumsfeld, Gerald Ford, as members of Congress all opposed it."

I wonder what side of the argument Jesus would support? Helping the sick, children, the poor and seniors is the essence of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I know the answer to WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) in regard to his support for Health Care Reform. He would be a big supporter.