By now, everyone should have heard about the Affordable Health Care Act, or Obamacare, as some people like to call it. Recently, this Act was one of the underlying causes that led to the government shutdown in October. While the President held his ground, because he believes every American citizen is entitled to affordable health insurance, there were others which were attempting to use the federal budget crisis as a means to postpone and put off this program. Even though people have mixed emotions about the upcoming changes, with some for the program, and others against it, it is still going to go into effect on January 1, 2014.
For those who still have doubts, consider other countries, like the United Kingdom and Canada, who have had government-sponsored insurance plans for a long time. Their citizens have access to quality healthcare, wellness checkups, and prescription medications at affordable prices. Even in those countries, private insurance companies are still found, as they offer coverage for people that want to use a traditional insurance carrier, over a government plan.
The same is true with the Affordable Health Care Act. You do not have to sign up for a government-sponsored insurance plan. You are still free to choose your insurance company. If you want Anthem Blue Cross of California, or Kaiser Permanente, or some other provider, it is up to you to select your coverage. Regardless of the carrier you select, you may still be eligible for tax incentives and breaks to help offset and lower your out-of-pocket premium costs.