Affordable Quote by Atul Gawande
“My biggest fear, that 27 percent of Americans under 65 have an existing health condition that, without the protections of the Affordable Care Act, would mean they would - could be automatically excluded from insurance coverage. Before the ACA, they wouldn't have been able to get insurance coverage on the individual market, you know, if you're a freelancer or if you had a small business or the like.”
About This Quote
The quote highlights the risk that many Americans with pre‑existing conditions would be denied health insurance without ACA protections, especially freelancers and small‑business owners.
In simple terms: ACA prevents exclusion of high‑risk individuals.
Key Takeaway
Policy safeguards are vital for health equity.
Themes
health equity
insurance access
policy impact
pre‑existing conditions
social safety net
Mood
concerned
urgent
empathetic
Type
policy commentary
advocacy statement
When to use this quote
- freelancers seeking coverage
- small‑business owners without options
- individuals with chronic illness
- policy debates on health reform
Key Concepts
insurance markets
ACA provisions
risk pooling
Practical Applications
- advocating for universal coverage
- designing inclusive insurance products
Questions to Reflect On
- How does insurance exclusion affect public health?
- What alternatives could protect high‑risk groups?
A Different Perspective
Some argue market‑based solutions could address coverage gaps without government mandates.
![“The Affordable Care Act is a huge problem. [Repealing the ACA is] going to have huge implications. We have millennials that live in Boston that are on their parents' health insurance. The businesses have hired them and have been able to hire more people because they have been able to be on their…” quote by Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ec/marty-walsh-4000_able_the-affordable-care-act-is-a-huge-proble_1706189.jpg)
![“Senator [Tom] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now says, despite these marathon all-night sessions going on in the House, Republicans need to do better, they need to start over, they need to come up with…” quote by Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ba0/rachel-maddow-1240_affordable_senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wan_18158.jpg)
![“[Tom Cotton] has been an absolute champion of the idea of getting rid of Obamacare, scrapping the Affordable Care Act.” quote by Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a13/rachel-maddow-1240_absolutes_tom-cotton-has-been-an-absolute-champion_30724.jpg)
