Lauren Mayo • The Daily Beacon
Repeal and rebuild
Obamacare repeal may threaten student health care Tom Cruise
Staff Writer Following the election of President Trump, the Republican-controlled Congress vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act in an attempt to rewrite health care availability to all Americans. Growing concern surrounding this repeal has left many wondering if they will be covered in the coming years. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” offered health insurance plans to those who may have not been able to afford a plan prior to its inception. Controversy has surrounded the bill with many critics either claiming quality of care decreased and/or plans increased in cost. Under the regulations of the Affordable Care Act, students at UT have the option to choose a competitive student health care plan. Provisions preventing dollar limits, gender discrimination and denial due to
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preexisting conditions are some of the things that have become important to many students. Dr. Spencer Gregg of the UT Student Health Center encountered several patients under the student health insurance plan. “The Affordable Healthcare Act has offered help for patients that may have never been able to have healthcare before,” Gregg said. “When I first started, we would see several students without insurance. Now, that is very rare.” To assess the most effective health care plans for students, UT holds a student health advisory committee consisting of undergraduate and graduate students who meet with insurance companies to discuss plans. The committee chooses an insurance company every five years that best suits student needs. This spring, the university will sign a new five-year contract, but it is still unclear which healthcare options will be discussed. While uncertain, Gregg is confident that students will still have the option for positive care.
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“Through our staff and patients that we see, we have not seen a growing concern for health insurance,” Gregg said. “We hope that we can have the trust in our politicians to ensure that those key elements continue.” One concern specific to the repeal concerns its lack of resolution. While the Republican Party’s recent actions have made the repeal imminent, no official replacement has been introduced. Some students view this as a top concern. “The Affordable Care Act may have its flaws, but it is too good to completely throw away,” Ashley Woods, senior in behavioral science, said. “My mom has medication that she could never afford without it.” Other students called into question Trump’s understanding of the American people. Ben Williams, an exploratory freshman, expressed his overall concern for the new presidency. “If Trump listened to the people for one moment, he would see how bad of an idea this really is,” Williams said.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017