DON’T MISS THE HEALTHCARE DEADLINE

The March 31st deadline to sign up for health care coverage under the historical Affordable Care Act is rapidly approaching. More than three million people have signed up for coverage since the enrollment period began in October of last year, according to officials from the Department of Health and Human Services. Now is the time to find those who have not signed up, and urge them to enroll.

During the month of January, 300,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 34 selected healthcare plans. The total number in that age group that has selected health care plans since open enrollment began is 807,500, according to federal health officials.

During that same period, 1.1 million Americans used the state and federal exchanges to sign up for health insurance. Total enrollment during the first four months reached 3.3 million Americans. No doubt the number would be higher but for technical glitches with the federal exchange, which have been corrected.

A recent poll by Gallup found that nearly 16 percent of all adults in the United States are without health insurance. The percentage has been steadily dropping since the heath care law was enacted. We must continue to work to see it go even lower.

It appears that young people are not going to be deterred from participating in the program by vicious and patently false antihealth care advertising financed by ultra- conservative groups that oppose the legislation. The nation’s young are not as naïve as some think.

Recently, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and I encouraged people to sign up for the coverage at a press conference held at Paul Quinn College. Rallies and events urging people to enroll have taken place throughout North Texas. The enrollment deadline of March of 31st is rapidly approaching.

Even though officials in Texas refused to establish a state-run exchange, where uninsured people could purchase affordable healthcare coverage, more than 200,000 Texans have enrolled. Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured citizens in the country. The Texas exchange is being run by the federal government.

The refusal by Texas Governor Rick Perry to establish a state-run exchange, and accept Medicaid expansion is soon going to hit Texas taxpayers in our wallets. Secretary Sebelius said that it would cost Texas $18 million each day that it refused to accept Medicaid expansion.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, which provides healthcare coverage for those who live under the poverty line and for the disabled, would be paid for entirely by the federal government for the first three years. Thereafter, the government will pay 90 percent of the costs, still a great deal for the states. It makes no sense for Texas officials to refuse the federal offer.

While some Republicans argue that the Affordable Care Act is burdensome, I believe that the real reason that they continue to oppose this legislation is an acrimonious dislike for President Obama. And some of his detractors will do anything to see his presidency go down in history as a failure.

But people with sound judgment and those who support the Affordable Care Act will not allow President Obama’s opponents to be victorious. When the history of our country is written, the Affordable Care Act will be viewed as significant as Social Security and Medicare.

So let’s continue to urge our friends, our neighbors, our church members and others to sign up for the Affordable Care Act. Its success is crucial to our collective wellbeing, and it is simply the right thing to do.