Politicians, Not ACA, Are Failing Americans, Speaker Says

July 08--"Obamacare" isn't a failure. Rather, Republican and Democratic leaders are failing Americans because they refuse to put their partisan politics aside to work together and create a more efficient program, John M. Hawkins told about 60 residents during a forum Thursday at Stephens Central Library.

Hawkins, president of government relations for the Texas Hospital Association, was the keynote speaker during a community discussion about Obamacare, the controversial health care law that President Barack Obama signed into law in 2011. The association is a lobbying organization for hospitals and other health-related organizations throughout the state.

Hawkins warned that America's health care problems will only worsen because of the political impasse.

"This is too important of an issue to not get right," Hawkins said. "Does Obamacare work? Yes. Could it work better? Yes. But we need both sides to come together, sit down and work things out."

Hawkins was participating in a monthly forum series called "The Truth ..." which focuses on different political, social and economic issues. The forums are hosted by the Tom Green County Democratic Party and are open to the public.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as the Affordable Care Act, is a federal statute signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. It was designed to give all Americans access to health insurance and better services, Hawkins explained.

However, the effort has only been partially successful, Hawkins said.

"If you're going to fix the health care system, it's very complex," he said. "You need to do at least 10 things. Republicans want to repeal the law and just make people pay for their own insurance. It ain't going to work. It's not that simple."

Republicans and Democrats don't need to overhaul or replace Obamacare, they just need to tweak it so that businesses, taxpayers and the health care industry share equally in the cost of providing affordable, quality health care for everyone, Hawkins said.

That plan also must include providing health care to immigrants in the country illegally, an idea Hawkins admits is not popular in today's anti-immigrant political climate.

"These folks are here, paying taxes, providing valuable services," Hawkins said. "They aren't languishing in hospitals. They want to get back out there, make a living and provide for their families. We need to serve them as well."

___

(c)2016 the San Angelo Standard-Times (San Angelo, Texas)

Visit the San Angelo Standard-Times (San Angelo, Texas) at www.gosanangelo.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.