Croshaw explains Affordable Care Act
When asked at the beginning of Andrew Croshaw’s talk on Wednesday to gauge their knowledge about Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on a scale of one to five, not one student in attendance claimed more than a three level.
The PPACA, also known as “Obamacare,” has been a high-profile and controversial issue since it was implemented in 2010. Croshaw is a former senior adviser for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and current managing director at Leavitt Partners Consulting.
“I don’t think it’s something that a lot of people understand, so I think this was a good opportunity for students to come and find out what that 2,000-page thing says,” said Baylee Stephenson, a sophomore majoring in marketing and journalism. “I didn’t really know anything about it except that it’s required for everybody to have.”
As an expert in the health care industry, he spoke to those in attendance regarding the PPACA.
“I really enjoyed it,” said Riley Pickett, a junior political science major. “I thought it was informative and helped me understand the Affordable Care Act.”
While most students typically agree that the end goal of PPACA is a noble one, the method and the costs used to achieve it are often disputed.
“I think I kind of disagree with [PPACA],” said freshman Savannah Hobbs. “I just think everyone should buy [insurance] for themselves and not have to pay extra for anyone else.”
The PPACA, along with other entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security, make up roughly 45 percent of federal spending. This number is anticipated to continue growing as PPACA is implemented.
Other students say that whether or not they completely agree with the bill, changing small aspects of it would to them be preferable to repealing it.
“There are lots of pros and cons, and I don’t think anybody has all the answers,” said Rhett Barton, a senior majoring in statistics. “People calling for a total repeal, I think that’s an irresponsible view.”
Croshaw didn’t explicitly advocate any particular position but, rather, focused his efforts on highlighting the tradeoffs Americans must consider with the PPACA.
“Students should take a strong interest in the decisions that are made around healthcare policy,” Croshaw said. “Money is being spent to fund today’s promises that’s going to have to be paid back tomorrow, and I want to see students thinking about those kinds of tradeoffs and getting involved in the process.”
— levi.henrie@aggiemail.usu.edu