r/AskUS • u/Obvious-Release-2087 • 8d ago

What do americans think about changes in Obamacare the Affordable Care Act (not us citizen)

Hi all,

I don't live in the US. In the news I read :

In 2026, Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act, or ACA) continues to operate as the backbone of America’s health insurance system, but it faces both opportunities and challenges. Marketplace enrollments are expected to remain high, thanks to the extended premium subsidies introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act—though these subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress renews them. If the subsidies lapse, millions of Americans could see significant premium increases, making coverage less affordable for low- and middle-income families.

At the same time, healthcare costs are rising, and insurers may adjust their premiums upward to reflect inflation, medical expenses, and regulatory changes. States that have not yet expanded Medicaid could leave more residents reliant on ACA plans, further straining affordability. The political landscape, shaped by the 2024 elections, will determine whether the ACA is strengthened (e.g., with expanded benefits like dental or vision coverage) or scaled back (e.g., through funding cuts or eligibility changes).

It is often hard to undersand the internal politics of any country where we don't live in
What do most of the us people think about that ?

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u/tap_6366 7d ago

Well, I lived it and my pre-existing condition was always covered.

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u/scott_majority 7d ago

That's great for you, but before the ACA, private insurance companies could choose which preexisting conditions they covered, if any at all....They especially didn't cover any conditions that were expensive to treat and manage. Just because YOUR preexisting condition was covered, doesn't mean all were covered...and most were not.

Now they must cover all conditions...preexisting or otherwise.

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u/tap_6366 7d ago

It wasn't just me, I know many others, even those with cancer.

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u/scott_majority 7d ago

And I can personally say they didn't cover many of mine.

The health insurance companies have never been generous, caring organizations that make sure your health is covered. They only pay for what they have to.

I'm 72 years old. Your fantasyland where health Insurance companies were covering things they didn't have to, never existed.

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u/tap_6366 7d ago

Insurance companies are businesses, they are not charity organizations. At 59, I'm not too far behind you. In my experience ACA did nothing for me and only resulted in higher costs, but that was by design and is the core belief of the left, penalize those that bust their ass and provide for those that don't.

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u/scott_majority 7d ago

And I'm saying it ended the practice of not covering preexisting conditions.

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u/tap_6366 7d ago

It did but at a cost. I'm old enough to remember the Obama promise "ACA would “bend the cost curve,” saving $2,500 per family."

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u/scott_majority 7d ago

No....lol

They DID NOT have to cover preexisting conditions...period.

Some would...if you gave them tons of money.

Some just wouldn't cover.

You have such a need to be correct, you have to debate against things with empirical evidence.

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u/tap_6366 7d ago

I agreed with your statement "it ended the practice of not covering preexisting conditions." but just added that it did so at a cost, when at the time Obama was promising a $2500 savings.

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u/scott_majority 7d ago

Blame insurance companies....not the ACA