Site Map - Obamacare / Health Care Laws

Featured Resources

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Obamacare: A Nonpartisan Review of What It Is and What It Is Not

Obamacare in the Supreme Court, 5-4 Decision on June 28, 2012

Government Mandates - Second Militia Act of 1792 and Obamacare

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

Constitutional Challenges to Obamacare

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

Archived Obamacare Questions

Learn More

Source Biographies

Notices Archive

Site Map

Pros and Cons by Issue

Issue: CORE QUESTION

Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) good for America?

Q:	Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) good for America?

Issue: Abortion

Does Obamacare fund abortion services for cases other than rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother? - DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare fund abortion services for cases other than rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother? - DEBATED

Issue: Bankruptcy

Will people no longer be at risk of medical bankruptcy? – DEBATED

Q:	Will people no longer be at risk of medical bankruptcy? – DEBATED

Issue: Birth Control

Does Obamacare require health insurers to cover birth control? - YES

Q:	Does Obamacare require health insurers to cover birth control? - YES

Issue: Congress

Under Obamacare, are members of Congress required to choose from the same set of available health insurance plans as everyone else? – YES

Q:	Under Obamacare, are members of Congress required to choose from the same set of available health insurance plans as everyone else? – YES

Issue: Constitutionality

Is Obamacare substantially constitutional? – YES

Q:	Is Obamacare substantially constitutional? – YES

Issue: Costs

Will Obamacare raise insurance premiums? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare raise insurance premiums? – DEBATED

Will the government help people who cannot afford mandatory health insurance? – YES

Q:	Will the government help people who cannot afford mandatory health insurance? – YES

Are there taxes, penalties, or fines for most individuals who do not have health insurance? – YES

Q:	Are there taxes, penalties, or fines for most individuals who do not have health insurance? – YES

Are there penalties for small businesses (49 or fewer employees) which do not provide insurance for their employees? – NO

Q:	Are there penalties for small businesses (49 or fewer employees) which do not provide insurance for their employees? – NO

Are there taxes, penalties, or fines for large businesses (50 or more employees) which do not provide insurance for their employees? – YES

Q:	Are there taxes, penalties, or fines for large businesses (50 or more employees) which do not provide insurance for their employees? – YES

Issue: Deficit

Will the health care reform laws decrease the federal deficit? – DEBATED

Q:	Will the health care reform laws decrease the federal deficit? – DEBATED

Issue: Emergency Care

Will fewer people rely on emergency rooms for health care under Obamacare? - DEBATED

Q:	Will fewer people rely on emergency rooms for health care under Obamacare? - DEBATED

Issue: Employers

Is Obamacare financially burdensome for businesses? – DEBATED

Q:	Is Obamacare financially burdensome for businesses? – DEBATED

Will Obamacare lead to a decline in employment-based health insurance? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare lead to a decline in employment-based health insurance? – DEBATED

Does Obamacare create uncertainty for businesses? – DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare create uncertainty for businesses? – DEBATED

Will Obamacare offer funding for workplace health programs? – YES

Q:	Will Obamacare offer funding for workplace health programs? – YES

Issue: Health Insurance Exchanges

Will the health insurance exchanges benefit consumers? - DEBATED

Q:	Will the health insurance exchanges benefit consumers? - DEBATED

Will long term insurance be offered in health insurance exchanges? - NO

Q:	Will long term insurance be offered in health insurance exchanges? - NO

Issue: Home Care

Does Obamacare provide funding for training additional “at home” care professionals? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare provide funding for training additional “at home” care professionals? – YES

Issue: Medicare / Medicaid

Does Obamacare do a good thing and save $716 billion in Medicare expenses (pro side) or do a bad thing and cut $716 billion from Medicare (con side)? – DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare do a good thing and save $716 billion in Medicare expenses (pro side) or do a bad thing and cut $716 billion from Medicare (con side)? – DEBATED

Will Obamacare’s cuts to Medicare reduce benefits for Part A (hospital care), Part B (outpatient care), and Medicare Advantage Part C? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare’s cuts to Medicare reduce benefits for Part A (hospital care), Part B (outpatient care), and Medicare Advantage Part C? – DEBATED

Will Obamacare’s cuts to Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) lead to a decrease in patient benefits? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare’s cuts to Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) lead to a decrease in patient benefits? – DEBATED

Does Obamacare close the “doughnut hole” in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage [Medicare Part D]? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare close the “doughnut hole” in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage [Medicare Part D]? – YES

Will more people be eligible for Medicaid under Obamacare? – YES

Q:	Will more people be eligible for Medicaid under Obamacare? – YES

Does Obamacare’s Independent Patient Advisory Board (IPAB) ration Medicare or create “death panels”? – DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare’s Independent Patient Advisory Board (IPAB) ration Medicare or create “death panels”? – DEBATED

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

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

Will Medicare reduce reimbursements to hospitals with high 30-day readmission rates (“preventable readmissions”)? - YES

Q:	Will Medicare reduce reimbursements to hospitals with high 30-day readmission rates (“preventable readmissions”)? - YES

Issue: Health Insurance Mandate

Are there any exemptions to the mandatory health insurance requirement? – YES

Q:	Are there any exemptions to the mandatory health insurance requirement? – YES

Issue: Insurance Coverage

Does Obamacare allow people to keep their current coverage? - DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare allow people to keep their current coverage? - DEBATED

Does Obamacare cover children with pre-existing conditions? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare cover children with pre-existing conditions? - YES

Can adults get health insurance coverage under Obamacare despite having a pre-existing condition? - YES

Q:	Can adults get health insurance coverage under Obamacare despite having a pre-existing condition? - YES

Under Obamacare, can insurance companies cancel coverage if a person gets sick? – NO

Q:	Under Obamacare, can insurance companies cancel coverage if a person gets sick? - NO

Can children up to age 26 remain on their parent’s health insurance? – YES

Q:	Can children up to age 26 remain on their parent's health insurance? - YES

Does Obamacare require that retiree health plans cover children up to age 26? – NO

Q:	Does Obamacare require that retiree health plans cover children up to age 26? - NO

Will lifetime or annual limits on health insurance coverage be eliminated? – YES

Q:	Will lifetime or annual limits on health insurance coverage be eliminated? - YES

Does Obamacare require insurers to offer coverage for treatment of mental illness? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare require insurers to offer coverage for treatment of mental illness? - YES

Will Obamacare require insurers to offer coverage for substance abuse? – YES

Q:	Will Obamacare require insurers to offer coverage for substance abuse? - YES

Does Obamacare include dental coverage for children? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare include dental coverage for children? - YES

Does Obamacare include dental coverage for adults? – NO

Q:	Does Obamacare include dental coverage for adults? - NO

Will individuals currently covered by veterans’ health benefits be considered covered under Obamacare? – YES

Q:	Will individuals currently covered by veterans' health benefits be considered covered under Obamacare? - YES

Will Obamacare cover alternative medicine? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare cover alternative medicine? - DEBATED

Does Obamacare require insurance plans to have a minimum basic coverage level? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare require insurance plans to have a minimum basic coverage level? - YES

Will Obamacare require health insurers to present health insurance information in clear and easily understandable terms? – YES

Q:	Will Obamacare require health insurers to present health insurance information in clear and easily understandable terms? - YES

Does Obamacare apply to health plans offered by colleges and universities? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare apply to health plans offered by colleges and universities? - YES

Will Obamacare result in fewer people with health care insurance? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare result in fewer people with health care insurance? - DEBATED

Does Obamacare allow individuals to appeal medical service denials? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare allow individuals to appeal medical service denials? - YES

Issue: Insurance Industry

Does Obamacare encourage health insurance competition? – DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare encourage health insurance competition? – DEBATED

Does Obamacare restrict insurance companies' profits? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare restrict insurance companies' profits? – YES

Under Obamacare, are insurance companies still exempt from federal antitrust laws? – YES

Q:	Under Obamacare, are insurance companies still exempt from federal antitrust laws? – YES

Will Obamacare lead to fewer health insurance agents and brokers (a.k.a. “producers”)? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare lead to fewer health insurance agents and brokers (a.k.a. “producers”)? – DEBATED

Issue: Physicians

Will Obamacare worsen the primary physician shortage? – DEBATED

Q:	Will Obamacare worsen the primary physician shortage? – DEBATED

Do physicians support Obamacare? - DEBATED

Q:	Do physicians support Obamacare? - DEBATED

Does Obamacare make any changes to physician payments through Medicare/Medicaid? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare make any changes to physician payments through Medicare/Medicaid? – YES

Issue: Prevention / Welness

Is preventive care covered under Obamacare? – YES

Q:	Is preventive care covered under Obamacare? – YES

Issue: Privacy

Does Obamacare ensure that patient medical data will be protected? - DEBATED

Q:	Does Obamacare ensure that patient medical data will be protected? - DEBATED

Issue: Second Amendment

Does Obamacare contain provisions related to the Second Amendment and gun ownership? - YES

Q:	Does Obamacare contain provisions related to the Second Amendment and gun ownership? - YES

Issue: Socialism

Is Obamacare a socialist law? – DEBATED

Q:	Is Obamacare a socialist law? – DEBATED

Issue: Taxes

Will Obamacare raise any federal taxes? – YES

Q:	Will Obamacare raise any federal taxes? – YES

Does Obamacare contain a new tax on “unearned income”, including some real estate sales, for individuals with an adjusted gross income of $200,000 or more? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare contain a new tax on “unearned income”, including some real estate sales, for individuals with an adjusted gross income of $200,000 or more? – YES

Issue: Tort Reform / Medical Malpractice

Does Obamacare reform medical malpractice (tort reform) law? – NO

Q:	Does Obamacare reform medical malpractice (tort reform) law? – NO

Does Obamacare add new tools to help fight health care fraud? – YES

Q:	Does Obamacare add new tools to help fight health care fraud? – YES

Issue: Unauthorized Immigrants

Are unauthorized (“illegal”) immigrants covered by Obamacare? - NO

Q:	Are unauthorized (“illegal”) immigrants covered by Obamacare? - NO

Notices