The Truth About "Obamacare"

Too many people, armed with too little information, are panicking about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, familiarly known as "Obamacare". 

Some facts:
1. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010.
2. PPACA requires individuals not covered by employer- or government-sponsored insurance plans to maintain minimal essential health insurance coverage or pay a penalty unless exempted for religious beliefs or financial hardship, a provision commonly referred to as the individual mandate. The Act also affects certain aspects of the private health insurance industry and public health insurance programs, requires insurance coverage of pre-existing conditions, expands access to insurance and increases projected national medical spending. Supporters claim it will slow health care cost inflation, and lower projected Medicare spending.

In other words, those who need the government to provide healthcare for them will be paying for it if they can afford it.

Some more facts from Statistical Abstracts 2012:
1. Between 2008 and 2009, the percentage of uninsured Americans increased...but not by much.  In 2009, only 16.7% of Americans were uninsured.  (Uninsured = NOT covered by private or government insurance.)
2. Of the uninsured, nearly 60% are between 18-34 years old--those in their prime working years.
3. Of the uninsured, 26.6% have household incomes of 0-$25,000, and 21.4% have household incomes of $25,000-$49,000. 

 Working people who get health insurance through employment have money taken from their paychecks to cover their insurance.  Working people who do not get health insurance through employment will, instead, give a percentage of their income to a private health insurance plan.  Low income or poverty level individuals would receive government subsidies in order to have insurance.  This is not a bad thing.  What is problematic, however, is that even after government intervention, a percentage of uninsured Americans will remain.  Critics of "Obamacare" have not cited this as a problem...instead, they criticize the law for FORCING HEALTHCARE ON PEOPLE.