On March 23, 2010, then-President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, extending health insurance to millions of Americans.
On March 23, 2017, the House Republican leadership — backed by President Trump — will vote on whether or not to dismantle it and enact the American Health Care Act in its place.
In commemorating the seventh anniversary of his signature health-care bill, Obama released a lengthy statement Thursday celebrating the law's successes. "Thanks to this law, more than 20 million Americans have gained the security and peace of mind of health insurance. Thanks to this law, more than 90 percent of Americans are insured — the highest rate in our history. Thanks to this law, the days when women could be charged more than men and Americans with pre-existing conditions could be denied coverage altogether are relics of the past," Obama wrote. "America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act."
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The American Health Care Act, the bill House Republican leadership and the White House are hoping will pass the lower chamber Thursday, promises to undo much of the Affordable Care Act's institutional changes — though it has been criticized by some far-right Republicans for not going far enough in dismantling Obama's law. You can read Obama's full statement below. Kimberly Alters
