As Washington debates whether the country should repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, applicants are rushing to get covered, reportedly driving applications to a record high. “I’m glad that the people understand the importance of getting coverage,” Donna Christensen, the former delegate for the U.S. Virgin Islands’ at-large district, told Cheddar on Wednesday. But many still remain uninsured. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 28.2 million people under the age of 65 did not have coverage in 2016. For context, that's a smaller proportion than before Obamacare passed. The federal agency said that the percentage of people uninsured now stands at 9 percent, compared to 16 percent in 2010. Many uninsured and current beneficiaries of the Act worry that a repeal would be in place by 2019 and that time is running out. However, Christensen argues that this is not the case. She says it’s going to be very hard for Congress to repeal ACA. “The Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land,” the ex-congresswoman said, stating that she doubts a repeal would ever happen. “It was not easy to get the law passed, but it’s going to be more difficult to take it away,” Christensen said. She encouraged the uninsured to seek coverage by December 15th this year, pointing out that benefits will be valid into the next year. Congressional Budget Office director Keith Hall put out a blog post on the federal agency’s website on Wednesday. He says that according to the CBO’s most recent baseline, repealing Obamacare's individual mandate would reduce the nation’s federal budget deficit by $338 billion within the next decade. That's less than the previous estimate of $416 billion, made last December.

Share:
More In Politics
Biden Choice to Keep Jerome Powell at Fed Was 'Path of Least Resistance'
President Joe Biden named Jerome Powell, initially appointed by President Trump, to keep his seat as the chair of the Federal Reserve on Monday amid the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, inflation, and unemployment. David Beckworth, a former international economist for the Treasury Department and a senior fellow with the Mercatus Center, joined Cheddar to discuss what he sees as the practicality of Biden's decision. "What Powell brings to the table is he's built up political capital with Republicans and Democrats," he said. "It's easy for him to get the job done. I think in one way he was the path of least resistance for the president."
Elizabeth Holmes to Resume Theranos Testimony
In a surprise turn of events, Elizabeth Holmes took the stand in her own defense on Friday and is expected to continue her testimony later today. Holmes, who founded a blood testing start-up Theranos back in 2003, faces 11 counts of wire fraud as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Aron Solomon, Chief Legal Analyst, Esquire Digital joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
House Passes Build Back Better Plan, Goes to Senate
The House narrowly passed President Biden's $1.7 trillion Build Back Better bill, the largest expansion of the social safety net in decades. The final vote was 220 to 213, with only one Democrat joining all Republicans in opposing the bill. It now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain fate. Jennifer Haberkorn, congressional reporter for the Los Angeles Times, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she breaks down the current version of the bill, where it goes next, and what it could mean for the country if it eventually reaches the president's desk.
Rittenhouse, Mcmichaels Trials Felt Across The Country
Two murder trials in focus in America — Wisconsin V. Kyle Rittenhouse and Georgia V. Travis Mcmichael, Gregory Mcmichael, and William Bryan, the Men who killed Ahmaud Arbery. Civil rights and criminal defense lawyer Anthony Tall and the Founder and CEO of Kim Crowder consulting Kim Crowder, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Load More