Tagged: obamacare

  We are launching a new format for the first hour of The Roundtable today and will have a panel discussion featuring Alan Chartock, Capital Correspondent, Karen Dewitt, WAMC News staff Ian Pickus and Ray Graf. The panel will be moderated by Joe Donahue.

Today's topics are:
Guns and legislating them, Paul Ryan's desire to appeal ObamaCare, drones and last week's filibuster, and sugar in New York City.

The clock is ticking for Obamacare.  The federal health care law goes into effect in one year – with uninsured Americans allowed to sign up for coverage in about ten months.  Last Friday, implementation of the new law took a big step forward.

As we all know, the fate of the federal health care reform law is to be decided by voters this November.  There are those running against the law that argue that they want to “repeal and replace” the law. 

However, there has been no alternative offered by opponents – just vague promises, partial pledges and grotesque distortions of the federal law itself.

In the heat of the political season, it’s important to take a closer look at opponents’ promises.

How important is the issue of health care to you in this year's Presidential Election?

No sooner had the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in support of the constitutionality of the federal health care reform law, than a new attack was launched on health coverage for the poor.

One provision of the Affordable Care Act dramatically expanded the Medicaid program – which provides health insurance for the poor.  The ACA requires that states have to expand coverage to those who make just above poverty level.  If a state refused the expansion, the federal government would withdraw its funding of that state’s program.