On fifth anniversary of ObamaCare, Obama says 'it's working'


Recent polling shows that by a narrow margin, more Americans disapprove of the Affordable Care Act than approve of it, but on the fifth anniversary of its passage, President Obama is celebrating the success of the healthcare law, and scoffing at Republicans who "are basing their entire political agenda on repealing the law."
"This law is saving money for families and for businesses," Obama said. "This law is also saving lives. It's working, despite countless attempts to repeal, undermine, defund, and defame this law."
According to the president, the Republican agenda aims at kicking millions of families off their insurance plans, forcing families to pay more for their insurance, and making women pay more for their insurance than men, claims which leaders of the GOP say are completely inaccurate.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) accused the president of breaking promises he made to the American people. Michael Short, spokesman for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said that despite Obama's attempt to "spin his unpopular health law... Americans are still being saddled with higher premiums, higher taxes, fewer work hours, and canceled plans."
President Obama also said that threats of "a serious alternative [to ObamaCare] from Republicans in Congress" have so far been empty — though now that the GOP controls both houses of Congress, several proposals to repeal the law have been introduced.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - free trade, judicial pushback, and more
By The Week US
-
5 educational cartoons about the Harvard pushback
Cartoons Artists take on academic freedom, institutional resistance, and more
By The Week US
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Texas outbreak brings 1st US measles death since 2015
Speed read The outbreak is concentrated in a 'close-knit, undervaccinated' Mennonite community in rural Gaines County
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Mystery illness spreading in Congo rapidly kills dozens
Speed Read The World Health Organization said 53 people have died in an outbreak that originated in a village where three children ate a bat carcass
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Ozempic can curb alcohol cravings, study finds
Speed read Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may also be helpful in limiting alcohol consumption
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
New form of H5N1 bird flu found in US dairy cows
Speed Read This new form of bird flu is different from the version that spread through herds in the last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US