Obamacare rhetoric v. reality

To the Editor:

President Obama and the Democratic legislative leaders promised the following benefits of the ‘Affordable Care Act’.

They promised Obamacare would (1) reduce insurance premiums (2) allow us to keep our health care plans (3) allow people to keep their doctors, and (4) save the treasury $100 billion during the first decade.

Previously, when snake-oil  salesmen visited Americans  knew that ‘if something sounds too good to be true it is too good to be true.”

Are you one of the over half of Americans that according to surveys disapprove of Obamacare?

Let’s look at Obamacare promises. Like the original Affordable Care Act website, the promises seem flawed. First, many citizens report increased premiums hurt their standard of living and make household budgeting difficult.

For example, one Alabama family went from paying $380 a month to $828 per month. Do you or your friends report increased costs?

Secondly, in November 4.2 million individuals stood to lose their plans. Thirdly, because insurers must narrow providers to control costs many will be able to keep their doctor. Lastly, far from saving money, Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified under oath that Obamacare would “increase the debt $400 billion dollars over the next decade.”

In the 1960s and 1970s we used the term “credibility gap” to describe the gap between a President’s rhetoric and reality. May I humbly suggest we witness a ‘credibility gap’ between Mr. Obama’s rhetoric and reality?

As the number of Obamacare "losers" grows are you satisfied?

Philip W. Chapman

Highland