This commentary from President Barack Obama describes the risks of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without simultaneously replacing it with legislation that would maintain health insurance coverage for the millions of Americans who have obtained or been able to continue their coverage because of the ACA.
The President writes:
…there is more work to do to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable health care. What the past 8 years have taught us is that health care reform requires an evidence-based, careful approach, driven by what is best for the American people. That is why Republicans’ plan to repeal the ACA with no plan to replace and improve it is so reckless. Rather than jeopardize financial security and access to care for tens of millions of Americans, policymakers should develop a plan to build on what works before they unravel what is in place….[the] approach of “repeal first and replace later” is, simply put, irresponsible….“Repeal and replace” is a deceptively catchy phrase — the truth is that health care reform is complex, with many interlocking pieces, so that undoing some of it may undo all of it.
This is the second time that the President has published a commentary in a medical journal. His first commentary was in the Journal of the American Medical Association:
Obama B. United States health care reform: progress to date and next steps. JAMA. 2016;316(5):525-532.
Ignatius Bau 