Health Care Reform ProCon.org

Health Care Reform / "Obamacare"

ProCon.org is an independent, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity

Video introduction to ProCon.org and the pros and cons of controversial topics

Health Care Reform / "Obamacare" Home

Featured Resources

Core Question

Top 10 Pros & Cons

Did You Know?

History of the Passage of the March 2010 Health Care Reform Laws

Comments

+Pros & Cons by Category

Projects

"Obamacare" in the Supreme Court

History of the Individual Health Insurance Mandate, 1989-2010

Health Care Reform Opinion Polls/Surveys

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - Section by Section

Landmark Entitlement Programs: Pro & Con Reactions at the Time of Their Passage

24 Constitutional Challenges to Federal Health Care Laws

Medicare vs. Non-Government (Private) Health Insurance

Calendar of What's Changing Under the Mar. 2010 Health Care Reforms

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports on Health Care Reform, 2009-2011

2012 Presidential Candidates' Positions on Health Care Reform

Learn More

Source Biographies

Notices Archive

Site Map

Donate now to help keep crital thinking alive!

Are the 2010 health care reform laws ("Obamacare") good for America?

In March 2010, the US Congress passed HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and HR 4872, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. President Barack Obama signed them both into law, along with Executive Order 13535 restricting federal funds from being used for abortion services.

Proponents of the health care legislation have called it a "historic victory" and "landmark legislation" that reforms the US health care system by reigning in health care costs, making health care affordable, and protecting consumers from unfair insurance practices. They say the law will reduce the nation's deficit by more than $100 billion by 2020 and by $1 trillion by 2030.

Opponents have called it a "socialist" and "unconstitutional" government takeover of the health care system that will increase the cost of health care and decrease the quality. They say the law will cost more than $2.5 trillion over 10 years and drive the US deeper into debt. Several congressional representatives and special interest groups have initiated attempts to repeal HR 3590. Read more...

On Mar. 27, 2012, we updated the core question to include the term "Obamacare" because that label has become widely used to reference the Mar. 2010 health care reform laws by both critics of the health care changes and proponents, including the Obama administration itself.

Health Care Reform ProCon.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit website that presents facts, studies, and pro and con statements on questions related to the 2010 health care reforms in the US. Many of the questions below are debated with pro and con responses. However, several of the questions are not debated and contain only pros or only cons. For these questions we have provided an Editor's Note in the empty column explaining that we have been unable to find an opposing viewpoint on these specific questions.

Pros & Cons by Category

CORE QUESTION

Are the 2010 health care reform laws (“Obamacare”) good for America?

Abortion

Can federal funds be used for abortion services?

Bankruptcy

Will people no longer be at risk of medical bankruptcy?

Congress

Does the new law limit health care coverage for Congress?

Constitutionality

Are the new laws constitutional?

Costs

Will I pay less for health insurance and medical care?

Will the government help me if I cannot afford mandatory health insurance?

Will the cost to fund public health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid decrease?

Deficit

Will the health care reform laws decrease the federal deficit?

Emergency Care

Will fewer people rely on emergency rooms for health care?

Employers

Are all employers required to provide health insurance?

Are the new laws financially burdensome for businesses?

End of Life Care

Do the health care reform laws set up "death panels"?

Health Insurance Exchanges

Will the health insurance exchanges benefit consumers?

Health Insurance Mandate

Are there penalties for not having health insurance?

Are there any exemptions to the mandatory health insurance requirement?

Illegal Immigrants

Are illegal immigrants covered in the new health care laws?

Insurance Coverage

Can I keep my current coverage?

Can I get coverage for my child with a pre-existing condition?

Can my current insurance cancel my coverage if I get sick?

Can I get coverage despite having a pre-existing condition?

Can children up to age 26 remain on their parent's health insurance?

Will lifetime or annual limits on coverage be eliminated?

Insurance Industry

Does the new law encourage health insurance competition?

Do the new laws restrict insurance companies' profits?

Are insurance companies still exempt from federal antitrust laws?

Medicaid/Medicare

Will Medicare Part A, Part B, and Part D benefits increase?

Will more people be eligible for Medicaid?

Will the quality of care from public health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid improve?

Will Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) benefits increase?

Physicians

Will there be enough primary care physicians to meet the increased demand?

Will physicians' reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid increase?

Will physicians be required to accept all Medicare patients?

Prevention/Wellness

Is preventive care covered?

Socialism

Are the 2010 health care reform laws socialist?

Taxes

Will the new law lower taxes?

Tort Reform/Medical Malpractice

Should the health care bill have overhauled medical malpractice?

Would medical malpractice reform (tort reform) significantly reduce the cost of health care?

Share your thoughts on health care reform and read, vote on, and reply to existing comments. Join the debate.

ProCon.org Notices (archived after 30 days)

4/27/2012 - "Obamacare" in the Supreme Court - See our new resource about the Supreme Court hearings on the constitutionality of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Read a summary, a timeline of how the case made it to the Supreme Court, and read or listen to the oral arguments made during the hearings.

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 5/15/2012 10:40:42 AM PST