Although people like Senator Mitch McConnell distort the truth about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), this law will benefit many Americans, especially those who are under-insured or uninsured.
There is a story circulating now about the risk insurance premiums will rise based on a study by the Society of Actuaries. You can read summaries of the study here, but trust me, it requires a careful reading. Something, I do not believe Mitch McConnell has done.
costs of consumers purchasing individual policies which may be at a higher cost than group policies.
McConnell, not known for his love of Obama, has taken details from this study to scare Americans the ACA has failed and costs for premiums (ostensibly all our premiums) will rise. This is a distortion, as the Actuaries' study mainly focuses on the healthcare impact of adding all of the currently uninsured, especially some of the high risk (really sick) population into the health care system.
Like in every situation, the details are important. The Actuaries' study makes clear 32 million uninsured (of 52 million) will now be insured if all parts of the affordable health care act are implemented. This represents a huge benefit for hospitals who are required by law to treat the uninsured despite their ability to pay. The costs for that care are paid by most of us. Hospitals supported the health care overhaul because they take tremendous losses every year because people are uninsured.
Finally, women may see their insurance premiums actually go down, or at least remain the same, because insurance companies are no longer able to discriminate against women by charging them higher insurance premiums.