Obamacare Failure
Obamacare: Failing or Fake News
For years, the Grand Old Party (GOP), also known as the Republican Party, indicated the party would work nonstop to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The Act was created to increase the quality, availability, and affordability of private and public health insurance for more than 44 million of uninsured Americans. Additionally, the purpose was to slow growth in healthcare spending in the United States. While America benefitted from insurance coverage where low incomes prevented coverage, the GOP still insisted the ACA was falling apart and about to implode. Media coverage on the details varies by outlet, causing a divided idea of truth and lies that …show more content…
surround ACA specifics. As politics continues to divide media outlets into conservative and liberal sources, the truth becomes too convoluted for Americans to form an educated and unbiased opinion of reality.
Losers and Winners Pipes (2016) released a news article insisting that the failure of the ACA was based on insurers no longer selling plans in numerous states. UnitedHealth, one of the largest U.S. insurers lost nearly $500 million, while Humana saw a 46 percent decrease in earnings. This left nearly 750,000 people seeking new health coverage. The ACA had the expectations of insuring the uninsured, while insurance providers had the expectations of maintaining or increasing revenue. With corporations losing large amounts of revenue, after the implementation of the ACA in 2010, seven years later the GOP announced an official “repeal and replace” plan, supported by President Trump (Pipes, 2016). Amadeo (2017) asserts that the ACA lowers overall individual healthcare costs, mostly by making preventive care free of charge. As healthcare services increased only .5 percent in 2015, the increases prior to 2010 were 3 to 5 percent. One of the most important governmental benefits, was that by 2022 the budget deficit would be reduced by $143 billion because of the ACA implementation. The reason for this reduction is that it would reduce the government’s portion of healthcare expenditures; it would increase revenue by raising taxes on businesses and wealthier families; and it would lean toward imposing more costs on healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies. With several different views of the ACA and who won and lost, each focused on different intent and motives, thus it is reported differently by the media.
Media Coverage Conflicts Time Magazine contributor, Tuttle (2016), claims that statistics showed an increase in coverage for Americans since the ACA passed. Additionally, a White House press release stated that an average premium for a family covered by an employer is almost $3,600 less than compared to the decade prior to 2010 with the passing of the ACA (Tuttle, 2016). However, this statistic was posted under the Obama administration. The media coverage from Time Magazine shows a positive outlook for families, by decreasing insurance premiums. Atlas (2015) writes for CNN that while people are signing up for coverage, the coverage is not working as promised. Additionally, Atlas (2015) stated that access for middle-class Americans is worse because of the ACA, citing that the ACA forced termination of 4.7 million policies. Estimates indicate that more than 10 million will be forced into termination of employer-based health insurance by 2021. Finally, the assertions are that as the law promises increased insurance choices, it has proven to lessen them, thus creating very narrow provider networks that limits the type of care available. Deciphering the information presented by Time and CNN respectively, policy terminations are only increasing because insurance providers are making less money, not because the coverage is inadequate for individuals. A poll provided by the The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2017) indicated that 49 percent of Americans favor the ACA repeal, while 47 percent were in favor of not repealing. This poll mimics the 2010 public view of the ACA law implementation.
The intent of the ACA was to provide coverage, but raise taxes for the rich, and now some media outlets are reporting the ACA repeal is slated to offer an estimated $144 billion in tax breaks for Americans with incomes of $1 million or more (Drucker, 2017). Since the repeal failed in March 2017, the Trump administration has shifted focus to tax reform, again offering tax breaks to the wealthiest of Americans (Horsley, Davis, & Noguchi, 2017). Once again, depending on the media outlet, the tax breaks are reported as the reason for the appeal, while others are discussing individual healthcare coverage as the reason.
A Constructed Reality
The media has constructed a reporting system that is multi-faceted and is too confusing for individuals to make an educated decision, resulting in a social constructionist perspective (Croteau & Hoynes, 2014).
Many internal and external factors determine which media outlet takes a stance on individual news stories. However, the interpretations between media and society creates situations where reality becomes a question of need and want, depending on motive (Southwell & Thorson, 2015).
Media coverage has recently been controlled by the Trump administration, by offering “limited seating” in the briefing rooms, allowing the White House to deliver specific messages to America by only those who have access to the West Wing. Therefore, many social media users who are loyal to those sources, continue delivering mixed or false messages via Facebook, Twitter, and personal blogs (Croteau & Hoynes, 2014). By doing so, the messages have become so convoluted that it becomes difficult to determine what has become widely called “fake news”. For example, Dropp and Nyhan (2017) reported for The New York Times that a poll by the Morning Consult indicated that 35 percent of respondents ages 18 to 29 did not know the ACA and Obamacare were the same. Whether confused, uneducated on the topics, or in denial, people are fed a constructed reality by media when possible, thus perpetuating “fake …show more content…
news”.
Social Relations
Murphy (n.d.) stated that when individuals respond to situations based on their beliefs instead of facts, it sets up behavioral patterns that will continue regardless of truths.
Additionally, the assertion is that people who live in a denial-based construct, do so out of fear. As the Republicans pushed for a Donald Trump presidency, the campaign trail that led to the White House was largely based on fear (Ball, 2016). The administration has continually created a constant “sense of disorder” among the American people, thus the utilization of the media to construct a false reality amongst the GOP supporters, surrounding the healthcare debate, became a very divided topic (Ball, 2016). The installation of fear further divided the opponents and proponents, both governmentally and societal. While there is media pluralism, it is hard to decipher which media outlet is telling the truth. The manipulation of the reported news continues to eliminate societal cohesion and increasing
polarization.
Conclusion
The fight for and against the ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, began before the Act was instituted by President Obama in 2010. Seven years later, the GOP took over the House and Senate, trying to repeal the ACA due to various areas of interest. By utilizing governmental authority to handpick media allowed in the White House West Wing, briefings are delivered to mostly conservative news sources. Thus, the battle then begins with conservative reporting and liberal news outlets trying to debunk the “alternative facts” or “fake news”. These messages reach society and are often presented in ways in which people are unable to decipher truth from lie. Individuals often choose political views based on motive, which then leads to wanting to believe lies to feed selfish interests. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to break the behavior pattern, which creates a constant belief of lies over truth. Social cohesion of Americans begins to fail as a “sense of disorder” and fear is constantly delivered to benefit the governmental motives. Therefore, media has been conditioned by political belief to deliver a constructed reality that continues to split social relations and perpetuate inconsistent news.
For years, the Grand Old Party (GOP), also known as the Republican Party, indicated the party would work nonstop to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The Act was created to increase the quality, availability, and affordability of private and public health insurance for more than 44 million of uninsured Americans. Additionally, the purpose was to slow growth in healthcare spending in the United States. While America benefitted from insurance coverage where low incomes prevented coverage, the GOP still insisted the ACA was falling apart and about to implode. Media coverage on the details varies by outlet, causing a divided idea of truth and lies that …show more content…
surround ACA specifics. As politics continues to divide media outlets into conservative and liberal sources, the truth becomes too convoluted for Americans to form an educated and unbiased opinion of reality.
Losers and Winners Pipes (2016) released a news article insisting that the failure of the ACA was based on insurers no longer selling plans in numerous states. UnitedHealth, one of the largest U.S. insurers lost nearly $500 million, while Humana saw a 46 percent decrease in earnings. This left nearly 750,000 people seeking new health coverage. The ACA had the expectations of insuring the uninsured, while insurance providers had the expectations of maintaining or increasing revenue. With corporations losing large amounts of revenue, after the implementation of the ACA in 2010, seven years later the GOP announced an official “repeal and replace” plan, supported by President Trump (Pipes, 2016). Amadeo (2017) asserts that the ACA lowers overall individual healthcare costs, mostly by making preventive care free of charge. As healthcare services increased only .5 percent in 2015, the increases prior to 2010 were 3 to 5 percent. One of the most important governmental benefits, was that by 2022 the budget deficit would be reduced by $143 billion because of the ACA implementation. The reason for this reduction is that it would reduce the government’s portion of healthcare expenditures; it would increase revenue by raising taxes on businesses and wealthier families; and it would lean toward imposing more costs on healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies. With several different views of the ACA and who won and lost, each focused on different intent and motives, thus it is reported differently by the media.
Media Coverage Conflicts Time Magazine contributor, Tuttle (2016), claims that statistics showed an increase in coverage for Americans since the ACA passed. Additionally, a White House press release stated that an average premium for a family covered by an employer is almost $3,600 less than compared to the decade prior to 2010 with the passing of the ACA (Tuttle, 2016). However, this statistic was posted under the Obama administration. The media coverage from Time Magazine shows a positive outlook for families, by decreasing insurance premiums. Atlas (2015) writes for CNN that while people are signing up for coverage, the coverage is not working as promised. Additionally, Atlas (2015) stated that access for middle-class Americans is worse because of the ACA, citing that the ACA forced termination of 4.7 million policies. Estimates indicate that more than 10 million will be forced into termination of employer-based health insurance by 2021. Finally, the assertions are that as the law promises increased insurance choices, it has proven to lessen them, thus creating very narrow provider networks that limits the type of care available. Deciphering the information presented by Time and CNN respectively, policy terminations are only increasing because insurance providers are making less money, not because the coverage is inadequate for individuals. A poll provided by the The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2017) indicated that 49 percent of Americans favor the ACA repeal, while 47 percent were in favor of not repealing. This poll mimics the 2010 public view of the ACA law implementation.
The intent of the ACA was to provide coverage, but raise taxes for the rich, and now some media outlets are reporting the ACA repeal is slated to offer an estimated $144 billion in tax breaks for Americans with incomes of $1 million or more (Drucker, 2017). Since the repeal failed in March 2017, the Trump administration has shifted focus to tax reform, again offering tax breaks to the wealthiest of Americans (Horsley, Davis, & Noguchi, 2017). Once again, depending on the media outlet, the tax breaks are reported as the reason for the appeal, while others are discussing individual healthcare coverage as the reason.
A Constructed Reality
The media has constructed a reporting system that is multi-faceted and is too confusing for individuals to make an educated decision, resulting in a social constructionist perspective (Croteau & Hoynes, 2014).
Many internal and external factors determine which media outlet takes a stance on individual news stories. However, the interpretations between media and society creates situations where reality becomes a question of need and want, depending on motive (Southwell & Thorson, 2015).
Media coverage has recently been controlled by the Trump administration, by offering “limited seating” in the briefing rooms, allowing the White House to deliver specific messages to America by only those who have access to the West Wing. Therefore, many social media users who are loyal to those sources, continue delivering mixed or false messages via Facebook, Twitter, and personal blogs (Croteau & Hoynes, 2014). By doing so, the messages have become so convoluted that it becomes difficult to determine what has become widely called “fake news”. For example, Dropp and Nyhan (2017) reported for The New York Times that a poll by the Morning Consult indicated that 35 percent of respondents ages 18 to 29 did not know the ACA and Obamacare were the same. Whether confused, uneducated on the topics, or in denial, people are fed a constructed reality by media when possible, thus perpetuating “fake …show more content…
news”.
Social Relations
Murphy (n.d.) stated that when individuals respond to situations based on their beliefs instead of facts, it sets up behavioral patterns that will continue regardless of truths.
Additionally, the assertion is that people who live in a denial-based construct, do so out of fear. As the Republicans pushed for a Donald Trump presidency, the campaign trail that led to the White House was largely based on fear (Ball, 2016). The administration has continually created a constant “sense of disorder” among the American people, thus the utilization of the media to construct a false reality amongst the GOP supporters, surrounding the healthcare debate, became a very divided topic (Ball, 2016). The installation of fear further divided the opponents and proponents, both governmentally and societal. While there is media pluralism, it is hard to decipher which media outlet is telling the truth. The manipulation of the reported news continues to eliminate societal cohesion and increasing
polarization.
Conclusion
The fight for and against the ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, began before the Act was instituted by President Obama in 2010. Seven years later, the GOP took over the House and Senate, trying to repeal the ACA due to various areas of interest. By utilizing governmental authority to handpick media allowed in the White House West Wing, briefings are delivered to mostly conservative news sources. Thus, the battle then begins with conservative reporting and liberal news outlets trying to debunk the “alternative facts” or “fake news”. These messages reach society and are often presented in ways in which people are unable to decipher truth from lie. Individuals often choose political views based on motive, which then leads to wanting to believe lies to feed selfish interests. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to break the behavior pattern, which creates a constant belief of lies over truth. Social cohesion of Americans begins to fail as a “sense of disorder” and fear is constantly delivered to benefit the governmental motives. Therefore, media has been conditioned by political belief to deliver a constructed reality that continues to split social relations and perpetuate inconsistent news.