The Affordable Care Act — better known as “Obamacare” by most — has created opportunities for countless entrepreneurial people to leave full-time jobs with health benefits and create their own business or work schedule. Now amidst talks of replacing this health care system with a different plan, small business owners and freelance workers are facing concerns about health insurance for the future.
Right now, the average time people wait between dental appointments is around three years or so. While that average might not skyrocket, the number of people who skip the dentist because of financial issues is bound to rise with Obamacare repealed.
Private insurance has always been an option for freelance workers, but without Obamacare they could face much higher premiums, as well as denial from certain policies as a result of pre-existing conditions. Even with its many flaws, Obamacare presented the opportunity for people to work on their own without worrying about many of those things.
Workers who currently rely on the insurance that Obamacare provides, without the knowledge of what a replacement plan would look like, are concerned about their businesses and are even considering returning to a full-time work schedule in some cases.
People like Andy Freivogel, who left his full-time job in 2014 to start his own technology company, and his wife, Laurie, are unsure of what they would do in the event that Obamacare is removed.
“I’m already thinking, ‘What are my options for getting a full-time job that will allow me to get benefits?'” Andy said. The Affordable Care Act has allowed the couple to find insurance plans for their whole family, including affordable insurance for their two children who have asthma.
A recent survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs revealed that while 46% of people want Obamacare repealed, 53% would prefer to keep the policies in some form.
Above all else, American small business owners and freelancers are requesting clarity on the new President’s plan for health insurance policies.