Celebrating 10 Years of the ACA During a Pandemic

Shannon Russell
4 min readMar 23, 2020

At the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), we advocate for universal access to comprehensive and affordable health insurance and care throughout the year. It’s no different for our legislative fellows and interns — today’s post comes from Kimberly Krane, a senior at George Washington University and NCJW’s Spring 2020 Government Relations and Advocacy Intern.

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March 2020 has brought about a frightening new normal for American daily life: pandemic-induced self-isolation. There are currently 10,442 reported cases in the United States of COVID-19 — otherwise referred to as coronavirus — and 150 deaths,[1] and these numbers will inevitably climb in the coming days and weeks. Offices across the country have moved to telework. Entire school districts, universities, restaurants and bars, gyms, libraries, places of worship, and retail stores have closed. People of all ages have been urged to stay inside to promote social distancing. “Quarantine” has become a household term. Meanwhile, the country’s health care infrastructure is crumbling as hospitals work around the clock to treat infected patients, with growing deficiencies in ventilators and other crucial equipment.

While Americans attempt to hunker down in their homes during this time of immense uncertainty and fear, former President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) celebrates its 10th year of existence. This landmark anniversary has un-ironically fallen amid a society-altering health crisis and, as unparalleled chaos continues to unfold, it has become abundantly clear that the ACA is an anchor that people of all socioeconomic statuses will continue to rely on.

The ACA has provided more than 20 million Americans across the country with health insurance since its enactment in 2010, which makes accessing necessary care a tangible reality for those who were unable to afford it previously. Having affordable health coverage is now more important than ever in the wake of the developing COVID-19 pandemic so that those impacted won’t have to choose between seeking medical attention and paying for their daily necessities. Larry Levitt, the Executive Vice President for Health Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, even said that affordable health care is “key to both preventing the spread of a virus like this and getting people who are sick treated.”[2] With a highly contagious virus such as COVID-19, an increasing amount of people will get infected and need treatment — especially those with pre-existing conditions. Due to the ACA, people with pre-existing conditions can access the care they need in this heightened period.

While labs in the United States work on developing a vaccination for COVID-19, the Affordable Care Act already has in place provisions that would make the vaccine free for most people with health insurance. The ACA prohibits insurance companies from applying co-pays and deductibles to vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so people at all income levels can afford to protect themselves. Upon the vaccination’s completion, the ACA will be a major vehicle in helping the United States comprehensively prevent another outbreak of coronavirus in the future.

However, we are not perfectly equipped to address COVID-19 with the ACA. There are still people across the country that are uninsured, and there have been numerous attempts over the years to repeal and replace this legislation. As a result, some who suffer from this virus will be unable to receive adequate care because they are not insured and the ACA must be protected and expanded to address this harmful gap. In response to the worsening coronavirus situation, seven states have opened special enrollment periods for the uninsured to find coverage.[3] I strongly urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make similar adjustments at the national level.

This severe health crisis that is pervading the United States’ — and, the world’s — consciousness has the propensity to impact every single American. As the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) office has moved to telework due to COVID-19 and I write from home, I am afraid. I am afraid for my elderly neighbors. I am afraid for people across the country who have lost their jobs to support their families, and for the doctors and nurses working tirelessly to help patients in critical condition. What softens these fears, among many others, is the safety net that the Affordable Care Act is providing for millions of Americans in this unprecedented time. As I celebrate 10 years of the Affordable Care Act, albeit in self-isolation, I am thankful that more people across the country are protected.

[1] “Cases in U.S.,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 19, 2020), https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html).

[2] Joseph Zeballos-Roig, “Here’s Why Obamacare Would Likely Make Any Coronavirus Vaccine Free for Patients — and Prove Critical in Fighting the Disease,” Business Insider, February 29, 2020, https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-free-for-patients-result-of-obamacare-2020-2)

[3] “7 States Are Starting A Special Enrollment Period,” Power to Decide, March 18, 2020, https://powertodecide.org/news/7-states-are-starting-special-enrollment-period).

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Shannon Russell

Unapologetic feminist since ’93. Advocate for reproductive health, rights, and justice at the National Council of Jewish Women.