In a recent weekly address to the public, President Barack Obama announced statistics on the effectiveness of his administration’s Affordable Care Act (also known as ObamaCare). President Obama suggested that since the Affordable Care Act has taken effect, it has covered 17.6 million Americans. He stated that for the first time, more than 90% of Americans are covered and since 2010, the uninsured rate shrank by 45%.
Some health experts suggest that the growing number of Affordable Care Act benefits available to Americans, African Americans in particular, is unquestionable.
“Because of the ACA, I now see many more African American patients at a point where medical care can help them immeasurably,” says Dr. L. Francine Chavis of the Granville Health System in Oxford, North Carolina. “Having health insurance coverage, many for the first time, is an important factor.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently posted a list of achievements of the Act, with specific reference to Black Americans:
- 60% of previously uninsured African Americans qualify for Medicaid.
- Preventative services were made available to nearly eight million African American private insurance holders. This includes access to flu shots and mammograms with no deductible.
- 70% of African Americans have been able to find coverage for under $100.
- Half a million African Americans up to the age of 26 are now covered under a parent’s plan.
- Nearly 2.5 million African Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 are now covered.
The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by president Obama in March of 2010. Some of the key takeaways from the Act include ending preexisting exclusions placed on children, stopping health plans from canceling insurance coverage due to honest mistakes.
The plan also covers preventative care at potentially no cost and allows for more flexibility in choosing a primary care doctor.
Sources for Today’s Article:
Chavis, B.F., “Ol ObamaCare Improves Health of Black America,” ThyBlackMan.com, November 10, 2015; http://thyblackman.com/2015/11/10/ol-obamacare-improves-health-of-black-america/.
“Curbing Insurance Cancellations,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services web site, http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-law/cancellations-and-appeals/curbing-insurance-cancellations/index.html, last accessed November 11, 2015.
“Eligible Uninsured African Americans,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services web site, November 1, 2013; http://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/eligible-uninsured-african-americans.
“Increased Coverage of Preventive Services with Zero Cost Sharing under the Affordable Care Act,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services web site, June 27, 2014; http://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-report/increased-coverage-preventive-services-zero-cost-sharing-under-affordable-care-act.
“New Report Shows Affordable Care Act Has Expanded Insurance Coverage among Young Adults of All Races and Ethnicities,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services web site, March 7, 2012; http://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/new-report-shows-affordable-care-act-has-expanded-insurance-coverage-among-young-adults-all-races-and-ethnicities.
“Health Insurance Coverage and the Affordable Care Act,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services web site, May 5, 2015; http://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-document/health-insurance-coverage-and-affordable-care-act.
“Eligible Uninsured African Americans: 6 In 10 Could Receive Health Insurance Marketplace Tax Credits, Medicaid or Chip,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services web site, November 1, 2013; http://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-report/eligible-uninsured-african-americans-6-10-could-receive-health-insurance-marketplace-tax-credits-medicaid-or-chip.