The Straight Talk on the Affordable Care Act Fellow viewers, the famous British statesman, Sir Winston

Churchill quipped, a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on. With the recent implementation of the Affordable Care Act commonly referred to both endearingly and pejoratively as Obamacare, lies have spread across the United States even before the ACA has managed to put its metaphorical pants on. Its now time to dispel the common myths surrounding the ACA. The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23rd, 2010 and later upheld as constitutional by the United States Supreme Court on June 28th, 2012. At its core, the ACA regulates the health insurance and not healthcare. It seeks to curb some of the healthcare industries worst practices including discriminating against individuals with pre-existing conditions, high out-of-pocket costs and deductibles, charging women different rates than men, and unjustified rate hikes. It intends to control wasteful spending within the healthcare industry. The ACA works by mandating that all Americans carry health insurance made available through their employer or through state or federal healthcare exchanges. Americans not carrying health insurance and employers not providing healthcare will be subject to fines paid through their income taxes. Mandating all Americans carry health insurance widens the risk pool and helps spread costs more evenly. Furthermore, the ACA actually improves the provision of healthcare in the United States because it requires all health plans to provide above a minimum amount of care including preventative care at no out-of-pocket costs. To make health insurance affordable to all Americans, the ACA provides costs assistance subsidies to family incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level - $94,200. The state health exchanges will also expand coverage through Medicaid. Many of the stories weve heard about plan cancellations over the past few months fail to reveal the true reason for cancellation. Many of the cancelled health care plans were catastrophic plans that provide healthcare below the minimum standard mandated by the ACA. Its the equivalent of removing cars from the road manufactured without seatbelts and brake lights. Already state healthcare exchanges in California, Kentucky, and New York have shown impressive enrollment results. The lies weve seen spread over the past few months and the political hostage taking by conservative politicians in Congress are all part of a sinister scheme to discredit and disband President Obamas signature domestic legislation, a piece of legislation that repairs Americas badly worn social safety net. The ACA moves one step forward in granting all Americans one of the most foundational freedoms the ability to maintain ones bodily health without fear of penury. The number one cause of personal bankruptcy in America is unpaid medical bills. I urge you all to get the facts. Please visit http://obamacarefacts.com/ for information. Thank you.