Hill November 10, 2019
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Democratic presidential candidates are sparring over what to do in its second decade. Should we build on the ACA? Or scrap it, relying instead on private markets or “Medicare for All”? As the debate heats up, it’s worth reflecting on what the ACA has accomplished so far — and what it hasn’t.
The primary goal of the ACA was to expand health insurance coverage. In that sense, it has been wildly successful: despite recent declines in coverage, since 2010 nearly 20 million people became insured. A secondary goal was to lower spending growth. It’s right there in the name: make health care affordable.
Clearly, providing subsidized insurance to...