Obamacare Research Assignment: Project Summary (Essay Sample)

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Project Summary
This project will involve observing the 2016 presidential elections taking into consideration the issue of Obamacare. Obamacare has become the key focus of the campaigns whereby each candidate has something to say about it and a promise to make. As such, the future of Obamacare remains unknown primarily because the voters are evenly balanced- that is, the supporters almost equal the opposers. It is clear that the Obamacare forms the question that will decide the forthcoming elections; will the healthcare insurance be taken away from the people? It is upon the voters that the future of Obamacare relies upon, as it is with the next president. If the voters need to retain the Medicaid, they will have to vote for a Democratic president, but if they do not want to retain it, they will go ahead to vote for a Republican president. All in all, the choice of the president will be determined by the Obamacare.
In every election held in the United States, as it is in other nations, there are vital issues that form the basis or the foundation of the campaigns. These issues often make what may be referred as ‘questions that decide the elections.' The 2016 elections are expected to be determined by, among other issues, the Obamacare (Reischauer and Rivlin). Most people do agree that the issue of Obamacare will be the key to the 2016 election. So, what role will the Obamacare play in the 2016 election? This is the question that will be addressed throughout this paper. It will discuss the trends in politics surrounding the Obamacare, as well as some of the political and economic factors that are at work. A quick glance at the Obamacare bill will give us the idea of what it is, and how it is perceived by the democrats and republicans. Both of these have tried to create laws aimed at reforming the American healthcare system, but with little success. On 24th Dec 2009, the Senate passed the ACA that was also passed by the house in 2010. President Obama signed the bill into law in 2012. This became the Obamacare. It is now over six years since Obamacare was passed, and it has remained one of the most politically charged issues expected to play a vital role in forthcoming elections (Braverman).
It is expected that different opinions will arise from the two main political domains especially pertaining to the validity and the cost of the Obamacare. In the eyes of most citizens, the Obamacare has played an important role in the healthcare industry whereby people get insurance subsidies to enable them cater for their health needs. However, the opponents have termed the Obamacare as excessively expensive and counter-productive, as well as inefficient (Frum). They do not recognize the benefits that arise upon enrolling into this program. These republicans are not in any way concerned about the millions of people worried about losing their health insurance.
Surveys indicate that the people are of the opinion that the issue of Obamacare will be the key factor in their presidential votes. As a matter of fact, a study undertaken by insurancequotes.com indicate that approximately 80 % of people will use the Obamacare as their key consideration for their presidential candidate (Braverman). The people are currently evenly split whereby about 45 % would want to retain the law while 44 % would like it repealed. Most people can say that health insurance has improved. The number of un-insurance people has also gone low showing that many people favour the law. The Obamacare has indeed elicited strongly polarized reactions from the Congress and the state governors. Those states that have Democratic governors have accepted the Medicaid expansion. Approximately half of these have opted to host own state-cantered healthcare rather than rely on the exchange that is ran by the federal. On the other hand, the Republican governors have refrained from the Medicaid expansion and have opted to rely on the federally-run marketplace (Peck and Lempress). As such, the prime role of the Obamacare issue is shaping the political arena and deciding who will be the next president. The support that the law has will reflect in the choice of candidates for the 2016 elections. If a majority of the citizens support the expansion of the Medicaid, then the candidates that support the Medicaid expansion will be favored to those who oppose it. The contrary will also be true, whereby if a majority of the people oppose it, the candidates opposing it will get the votes. As such, the Obamacare can be seen as the key determinant of the next president of the United States.
The Democratic candidates are seeking to further the objectives of the ACA in distinctive ways that require varied levels of centralization. For example, Hillary Clinton promises to maintain and expand the coverage of the healthcare that is created by the ACA. She has also suggested various reforms that include the repealing of the Cadillac tax. Sanders is advocating for a single-payer healthcare system with a publicly financed ‘comprehensive coverage.' In this case, the state-run healthcare markets will be eliminated bringing the entire healthcare coverage under the federal government. When it comes to the Republicans, they are largely opposed to the Medicaid expansion, and the aspirants are advocating for a repeal of the ACA. The famous Republican candidate called Donald Trump has referred to the Obamacare as a complete disaster as he is advocating for a ‘free-market centered system. According to him, removing the traditional healthcare markets that are centered in the states could improve competition. Improved competition would lead to better prices for the consumers (Peck and Lempress). Senator Marco Rubio is another determined Republican whose efforts cannot go unnoticed. He is advocating for a full repeal of the ACA and replace it with an alternative that is market-driven. He proposes a healthcare system that includes the tax credit that will enable the people to buy health insurance. More so, his proposal also touches on reforms on the insurance regulations and reforms of the Medicaid that are fiscally-sustainable. All in all, his plan aims at limiting the amount of funds that the federal government can spend in the protection of the insurance c...