Hillary on repealing Obamacare: "Not on my watch." (HILLARY GROUP)

[DeepModem Mom]

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (CNN) Hillary Clinton previewed her fixes to the Affordable Care Act on Monday, telling an audience in Louisiana that while the law it working, there is still more than needs to be done to improve it.

Attaching herself to one of President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievements, Clinton used an organizing event in Baton Rouge -- her first in the state as a candidate -- to slam Republican attempts to repeal the law.

"All of the Republicans candidates for president are determined to get rid of the Affordable Care," she said. "I will tell you, I am not going to let them rip away the progress we made, I am not going to let them tear up that law, kick 16 million people off health coverage and force this country to start the health care debate all over again. Not on my watch."

Clinton plans to use the coming week -- and a series of events in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Des Moines, Iowa -- to outline what she feels is working in Obamacare, and more notably, what isn't.

On Monday, Clinton said she would "build on the progress" made by Obamacare, singling out bringing down health care costs, easing burdens on small businesses and increasing choice.

Clinton highlighted "skyrocketing out of pocket health care costs and particularly run away prescription drug prices."

She said she would announce this week a plan to cap "how much you have to pay out of pocket for prescription drugs each month" and promised to "hold drug companies accountable as we work to drive down prices."...

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/20/politics/hillary-clinton-obamacare-fixes/index.html via CNN

[NowSam]

1. We need single payer health care on the next watch so I vote Bernie!

I think ACA was a beginning. I see it as a bridge to a better system. But it isn't good enough. We need single payer, universal health care for all citizens including dental and vision.

[portlander23]

2. Yes!

The ACA is a modest regulation of the existing for-profit insurance industry that's proving to be a godsend to some and a burden to others.

Insured, but Not Covered

Ms. Pineman, who is self-employed, accepted that she’d have to pay higher premiums for a plan with a narrower provider network and no out-of-network coverage. She accepted that she’d have to pay out of pocket to see her primary care physician, who didn’t participate. She even accepted having co-pays of nearly $1,800 to have a cast put on her ankle in an emergency room after she broke it while playing tennis.

But her frustration bubbled over when she tried to arrange a follow-up visit with an orthopedist in her Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield network: The nearest doctor available who treated ankle problems was in Stamford, Conn. When she called to protest, her insurer said that Stamford was 14 miles from her home and 15 was considered a reasonable travel distance. “It was ridiculous — didn’t they notice it was in another state?” said Ms. Pineman, 46, who was on crutches.

She instead paid $350 to see a nearby orthopedist and bought a boot on Amazon as he suggested. She has since forked over hundreds of dollars more for a physical therapist that insurance didn’t cover, even though that provider was in-network.

The Affordable Care Act has ushered in an era of complex new health insurance products featuring legions of out-of-pocket coinsurance fees, high deductibles and narrow provider networks. Though commercial insurers had already begun to shift toward such policies, the health care law gave them added legitimacy and has vastly accelerated the trend, experts say.

It is true that the Affordable Care Act has erased some of the more egregious practices of the American health insurance system that left patients bankrupt or losing homes to pay bills. Insurers can no longer deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, for example. And the new policies cap out-of-pocket spending so long as the patient receives care within the plan. Most important, the act has offered health insurance to an estimated 10 million Americans who did not have any, often by expanding Medicaid or providing subsidies.

But by endorsing and expanding the complex new policies promoted by the health care industry, the law may in some ways be undermining its signature promise: health care that is accessible and affordable for all.

If the vision of the Democratic Party is to fight over keeping the merger reforms of the ACA which lead to very uneven outcomes and benefits, then we're toast. It was designed as a third-way politics lifeline to the insurance industry that helped a lot of people, hurt others, and doesn't control cost.

The ACA needs to be the opening salvo in the fight for Medicare for All, not the place where we draw the lines of surrender.

[Cha]

4. As I said HIllary's going to be President and she's not going to let the gops "Repeal" Obamacare.

Obamacare has been a great start.. it's Helping Millions of people.

To call it "modest" is using ridiculous hyperbole. Too bad the successes of the Obama Admin aren't being acknowledged. That's BS's mistake.

[Walk away]

12. A huge mistake. Most of the people that voted for the President....

really like the President. Democrats, many Independents and even some Republicans like and/or depend upon Obamacare.

Anyone using the Democratic party to run for president while tearing down the President, the party and everything they have accomplished, won't last very long and certainly won't win a nomination to anything but President of DU.

[Cha]

14. Well said, Walk away! You speak the Truth!

[Thinkingabout]

6. It may surprise you but these pronlems existed before ACA, I was on a group plan for years and when

Getting appointments one of the questions I ask was what insurance or plan they was participating. If this facility was not in my plan I moved on to another. BTW, I had to pay co-pays, I was not covered at 100%. It was better than no insurance. Single payer would be nice but I would require money to cover portions and there would probably be a co-pay. Medicare is not without cost either, $105 is paid monthly for part B, there are Advantage plans but many has co-pays, not perfect but not free. France has a small premium monthly also.

The biggest problem is pharmacy which is gouging Americans more than any other place.

[LuvLoogie]

11. Bernie voted for the ACA. Why?

Did he sell out to enable corporatists?

[Cha]

3. Hillary's going to be President .. and yes Obamacare is a great foundation and she's not going to

let it get "Repealed".

[sheshe2]

8. I have no need to block you, youn alraedy were.

Suggestion, read up on how well single payer went in VT.

[LuvLoogie]

10. Bernie voted for the ACA.

And Vermont bailed on single-payer. Bernie's single-payer bill has been languishing for years. Is his revolution going to override the legislative process?

[treestar]

5. The ACA is why we need Hillary to be the nominee and win

As a self employed person just getting to that age where stuff comes up, the ACA was a godsend.

[Walk away]

13. Me too...it saved my life. Literally! nt