By Eve Barnett –
Despite what most right-wing naysayers claim, a broken website does not mean a failed law.
Obamacare, President Obama’s signature health care law, is getting a bad rap these days. The October 1st launch of its crucial website, HealthCare.gov, was a flop. Fifty-eight days later, Americans are still struggling to sign on and browse their insurance options. Yes, the broken website is a serious problem. But, despite what most right-wing naysayers claim, a broken website does not mean a failed law. The critics are making over-exaggerated, gloom and doom predictions about its effect. Obamacare is an extraordinary piece of legislation whose positive features cannot be overlooked.
First, despite all the controversy surrounding the legislation, Americans still want Obamacare. Since August, public support has increased for the law by about four percent—and by 7 A.M. on October 1st, over one million people had visited the website. Yes, HealthCare.gov could not handle all the traffic and crashed as a result, but the important takeaway is that many Americans were eager to sign up.
Critics argue that only 106,185 people registered for insurance during the program’s first month—a number much lower than expected. But how could guaranteeing coverage to previously uninsured people—no matter how low the number— possibly be bad? And the count will rise as glitches get fixed and people become more knowledgeable. Massachusetts proves it: only 123 people signed up for its health care law during the first month, but enrollment has since increased dramatically.
Second, Obamacare has economic advantages. The legislation invests in efficient programs; in fact, experts estimate it will create between 250,000 and 400,000 jobs annually for the next ten years and increase America’s GDP by about eight percent by 2030. This is especially significant given the inefficiency and wastefulness of the pre-Obamacare system: one out of every three dollars spent in the healthcare sector was used unproductively. By streamlining the sector and creating incentives for doctors to give higher- quality—not just more-frequent—care, Obamacare will ensure that money spent on coverage is used effectively.
Finally, there is still time to fix the problems. Obamacare does not officially go into effect until January 1. October 1 was only the date of the website launch, when people could begin to sign into the exchanges. No one is entitled to new coverage until January—well over a month away—so people have not yet been deprived of care, and the legislation has not been fairly tested.
America should not give up on Obamacare now, especially given the myriad obstacles the law has already overcome: Republican Senator Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts, the Supreme Court case, and the government shutdown. The problems are real, have weakened public confidence, and need to be fixed immediately. But they are not necessarily insurmountable and do not invalidate the law’s central purpose: providing affordable healthcare to millions of Americans who would not otherwise have it.