Five years ago, after nearly a century of talk, decades of trying, a year of bipartisan
debate -- we finally declared that in America, health care is not a privilege for a few,
but a right for all.
Over those five years, as we’ve worked to implement the Affordable Care Act, there have
been successes and setbacks.
The setbacks I remember clearly.
(Laughter.)
But as the dust has settled, there can be no doubt that this law is working.
It has changed, and in some cases saved, American lives.
It set this country on a smarter, stronger course.
And today, after more than 50 votes in Congress to repeal or weaken this law; after a presidential
election based in part on preserving or repealing this law; after multiple challenges to this
law before the Supreme Court -- the Affordable Care Act is here to stay.
This morning, the Court upheld a critical part of this law -– the part that’s made
it easier for Americans to afford health insurance regardless of where you live.
If the partisan challenge to this law had succeeded, millions of Americans would have
had thousands of dollars’ worth of tax credits taken from them.
For many, insurance would have become unaffordable again.
Many would have become uninsured again.
Ultimately, everyone’s premiums could have gone up.
America would have gone backwards.
And that’s not what we do.
That’s not what America does.
We move forward.
So today is a victory for hardworking Americans all across this country whose lives will continue
to become more secure in a changing economy because of this law.
If you’re a parent, you can keep your kids on your plan until they turn 26 -- something
that has covered millions of young people so far.
That’s because of this law.
If you’re a senior, or an American with a disability, this law gives you discounts
on your prescriptions -- something that has saved 9 million Americans an average of $1,600
so far.
If you’re a woman, you can’t be charged more than anybody else -- even if you’ve
had cancer, or your husband had heart disease, or just because you’re a woman.
Your insurer has to offer free preventive services like mammograms.
They can’t place annual or lifetime caps on your care because of this law.
Because of this law, and because of today’s decision, millions of Americans who I hear
from every single day will continue to receive the tax credits that have given about eight
in ten people who buy insurance on the new marketplaces the choice of a health care plan
that costs less than $100 a month.
And when it comes to preexisting conditions -- someday, our grandkids will ask us if there
was really a time when America discriminated against people who get sick.
Because that is something this law has ended for good.
That affects everybody with health insurance -- not just folks who got insurance through
the Affordable Care Act.
All of America has protections it didn’t have before.
As the law’s provisions have gradually taken effect, more than 16 million uninsured Americans
have gained coverage so far.
Nearly one in three Americans who was uninsured a few years ago is insured today.
The uninsured rate in America is the lowest since we began to keep records.
And that is something we can all be proud of.
Meanwhile, the law has helped hold the price of health care to its slowest growth in 50
years.
If your family gets insurance through your job -- so you’re not using the Affordable
Care Act -- you’re still paying about $1,800 less per year on average than you would be
if we hadn’t done anything.
By one leading measure, what business owners pay out in wages and salaries is now finally
growing faster than what they spend on health insurance.
That hasn’t happened in 17 years -- and that’s good for workers and it’s good
for the economy.
The point is, this is not an abstract thing anymore.
This is not a set of political talking points.
This is reality.
We can see how it is working.
This law is working exactly as it’s supposed to.
In many ways, this law is working better than we expected it to.
For all the misinformation campaigns, all the doomsday predictions, all the talk of
death panels and job destruction, for all the repeal attempts -- this law is now helping
tens of millions of Americans.
And they’ve told me that it has changed their lives for the better.
I’ve had moms come up and say, my son was able to see a doctor and get diagnosed, and
catch a tumor early, and he’s alive today because of this law.
This law is working.
And it’s going to keep doing just that.