For Democrats, the Affordable Care Act is done – but they're far from over. As a result of the government shutdown, tens of millions of Americans will soon face skyrocketing premiums for their healthcare plans. While Democrats are scrambling to save subsidies, they need to be thinking bigger: about a long-term fix to America's broken healthcare system.
It's been 15 years since President Obama signed the ACA into law, but despite its successes, the US healthcare system remains in shambles. Democrats have made it clear that the law has done a lot of good, but it's far from perfect. So what do they need to be doing instead?
The answer is simple: start planning for the next phase of reform. Since 1945, every Democratic president has attempted to move towards universal coverage and contain costs – with varying degrees of success. From Truman's proposal of a federal health insurance program to Biden's public option plan, which was largely shelved after he took office.
The time is now to begin debating real reforms among themselves. Task policy experts in developing options, engage voters, advocate for meaningful change, and see where support builds. When the 2028 presidential election comes around, have that debate on the biggest stage – when Americans are paying attention most.
So what's a possible next step? A hybrid system of public and private insurance used successfully in countries like Australia, Canada, France, and Denmark. The government provides basic coverage to everyone, while people can opt for supplementary private insurance if they want more benefits.
This isn't going to be easy, but it's essential that Democrats don't get bogged down by the opposition or give up on meaningful reform. After all, we know that a universal healthcare system is not only achievable but also desirable – unlike our current model, where rich people can continue to afford all the benefits they want while millions struggle.
It's high time for Democrats to show Americans that better health care options are possible and worth fighting for – rather than relying on incremental tweaks or letting opponents dictate the agenda.
It's been 15 years since President Obama signed the ACA into law, but despite its successes, the US healthcare system remains in shambles. Democrats have made it clear that the law has done a lot of good, but it's far from perfect. So what do they need to be doing instead?
The answer is simple: start planning for the next phase of reform. Since 1945, every Democratic president has attempted to move towards universal coverage and contain costs – with varying degrees of success. From Truman's proposal of a federal health insurance program to Biden's public option plan, which was largely shelved after he took office.
The time is now to begin debating real reforms among themselves. Task policy experts in developing options, engage voters, advocate for meaningful change, and see where support builds. When the 2028 presidential election comes around, have that debate on the biggest stage – when Americans are paying attention most.
So what's a possible next step? A hybrid system of public and private insurance used successfully in countries like Australia, Canada, France, and Denmark. The government provides basic coverage to everyone, while people can opt for supplementary private insurance if they want more benefits.
This isn't going to be easy, but it's essential that Democrats don't get bogged down by the opposition or give up on meaningful reform. After all, we know that a universal healthcare system is not only achievable but also desirable – unlike our current model, where rich people can continue to afford all the benefits they want while millions struggle.
It's high time for Democrats to show Americans that better health care options are possible and worth fighting for – rather than relying on incremental tweaks or letting opponents dictate the agenda.
I feel like the US healthcare system is a mess, you know? It's crazy how some people can afford top-notch insurance while others are still struggling to make ends meet. 
The fact that we're going back to skyrocketing premiums because of the shutdown is just another example of how broken it is.
. They should be exploring options like a hybrid system with public and private insurance 
. I mean, countries like Australia, Canada, France, and Denmark have been doing this for years and they seem to be doing alright 
.
! We need leaders who are willing to take on the tough conversations and fight for real change 
. The 2028 presidential election can't come soon enough, I'm excited to see what the future holds 
15 yrs after obama signed ACA into law and still no real fix in sight? think they r just gonna keep tweakin it till its good enough? newsflash: its never good enough when millions are strugglin to afford healthcare. and yeah, maybe a hybrid system sounds like a decent idea, but dont get too excited, its not like we havent tried that before... australia, canada, france, danmark all have their own versions of it, but americas got its own unique brand of chaos 
we need a universal system ASAP! i'm all for that hybrid model where gov provides basic coverage and ppl can opt for private insurance if they want more benefits 
that's been working in other countries for ages... why not here?! 
can you imagine having basic coverage for everyone and then being able to opt for more benefits if you want? 
so let's get those Democrats working on some real reform 
. It's crazy that after 15 years, we're still dealing with a broken system 
. Democrats need to think bigger and start planning for real change 
. They should be looking at countries like Australia and Canada, which have hybrid systems that work well 
. I mean, it's not rocket science - just provide basic coverage to everyone and let people choose private insurance if they want more benefits 
. We know that universal healthcare is possible and desirable 
. We can't keep going on like this and expecting everyone to be okay 
. It's time for Democrats to take a stand and fight for meaningful reform 
.
. But seriously, if Democrats want to make real changes, they need to stop playing it safe and start brainstorming some actual solutions 
. A hybrid system like the one you mentioned sounds like a decent starting point... but let's be real, it's not exactly a silver bullet 
.
. But if Democrats want to make some progress without getting bogged down by partisan politics, they need to start having that tough conversation with each other 
. No more incremental tweaks, no more excuses... just real, meaningful change 
. It won't be easy, but someone's gotta do it 
.
But instead of proposing something concrete like a hybrid system 
thinking about incremental tweaks.
. Democrats need to take a leap of faith and propose real change that actually benefits Americans 
. If they can't do that, then what's the point? 
️...
. they should b thinkin bigger, like what if we had a hybrid system like australia's? gov provides basic coverage 2 everyone, private ins copts up supplementary benefits. that sounds way more promising 2 me 
️. Not gonna be easy tho, but what's the point of having a majority if u r just gonna roll over to the GOP? 
I feel like we need a total overhaul of our healthcare system ASAP!!! It's not right that people are gonna have to deal with skyrocketing premiums because of the shutdown 
! The gov needs to step up and provide more options for people who can't afford top-notch health insurance 
australia, canada, france, & denmark r already doin it better dan us 
lets get dembs thinking bigger & not just stuck on incremental changes