Point:

Ian Tancun | Columnist

The Affordable Care Act, nicknamed “Obamacare,” should not be repealed.

Though the wheels are already in motion, some Republicans are starting to realize that repealing “Obamacare” with no replacement decided upon yet could be disastrous. Republican Senator Rand Paul warned that repealing “Obamacare” without a replacement bill could lead insurance companies to bankruptcy, which might then lead to a “massive” bailout, according to a Jan. 4 interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” I do not want my tax dollars going to such a bailout if that were to happen.

Within a year of partially repealing “Obamacare,” 18 million people would no longer have health insurance, according to a Jan. 17 Congressional Budget Office report. Students between the ages of 19 to 26 who are currently insured as dependents through their parents would likely have to purchase their own insurance plans if “Obamacare” is fully repealed. “Obamacare” extended the age limit for dependent coverage to 26. Prior to “Obamacare” the age limit was 19, according to the Department of Health and Human Services’ website.

I acknowledge there are problems with “Obamacare” that need to be addressed, but it would be wise to focus on those areas and hopefully bring down the rising premiums that are hurting so many people.

It seems dangerous to repeal the bill entirely and start from scratch. Furthermore, I’m concerned about there being no definitive plans of a replacement being discussed. President Trump and other Republicans insist there are replacements in the works, but we have yet to hear which of these proposals Trump plans to support or any specifics of what that particular plan would entail.

People’s lives are literally at risk here. Yet, Republicans expect us to wait on some mystery plan which may or may not leave us worse off. I do not find it acceptable for politicians to essentially play Russian Roulette with the healthcare needs of their constituents.

Counterpoint:

Mackenzie Meadows | Columnist

The Affordable Care Act, known as “Obamacare,” has been under scrutiny since its passage Dec. 24, 2009. The author of the well-known blog Preserve Freedom makes a point in which Democrats see “Obamacare” as solving the country’s medical issues. Republicans, however, believe “Obamacare” is tearing down the economy. The country is up in arms with this issue, so it’s only fair to let numbers and incidences reveal why “Obamacare” should be fully repealed now that Donald Trump has taken office.

Premiums are skyrocketing for the middle class and even more so for the upper class. After paying $200-$300 premiums, middle class families are now paying recordbreaking $700-$1300 premiums, according to a 2016 Preserve Freedom article. The worst part is, even if you can’t afford these premiums, the IRS will tack on a penalty tax upwards of $2,000 for a family of four and is paid for the year that that family files their federal income tax, according to the healthcare.gov website.

Money aside, there is a revolving door of issues regarding “Obamacare.” People with “Obamacare” have the same or less insurance coverage than they had before. For example, a friend of mine who was insured through “Obamacare” was injured in Mississippi, though he lives in Illinois. Because of this, he was not insured for his injury and had to pay everything out-of-pocket.

Preserve Freedom makes a final point that will drive this repeal home: businesses that have 50 or more employees are obligated to give them healthcare that meets the standards of “Obamacare.” This can cause a business to surpass their budget and start slipping into bankruptcy. Because of this, some companies are cutting back hours and turning lifelong, full-time employees into part-time employees, and employment rates are declining. Our country will be in economic ruin if this is not repealed. “Obamacare” has proven itself a failure.