Listen: I know it's an hour, but it's important. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/392/someone-elses-money
Excellent even-handed summary of the core issues: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/the-hurdles-to-success-for-the-affordable-care-act/
Resources (For later):
Who pays more, who doesn't (sources from across the political spectrum):
https://www.healthcare.gov/will-i-qualify-to-save-on-monthly-premiums/
https://www.healthcare.gov/will-i-qualify-to-save-on-out-of-pocket-costs/
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/oct/17/ted-cruz/sen-ted-cruz-says-premiums-have-gone-virtually-eve/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/10/14/obamacares-website-is-crashing-because-it-doesnt-want-you-to-know-health-plans-true-costs/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/09/23/its-official-obamacare-will-increase-health-spending-by-7450-for-a-typical-family-of-four/
The ACA and the Effect on Taxes, the Deficit, Employment, and the Budget: http://247wallst.com/healthcare-economy/2013/10/10/the-economic-impact-of-obamacare/
http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44176
http://www.gao.gov/products/gao-13-281
effect on employment: http://www.cbo.gov/publication/45096
US Healthcare Costs vs Other Industrialized Nations (With Socialized Healthcare): http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/10/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/26/21-graphs-that-show-americas-health-care-prices-are-ludicrous/
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Issue%20Brief/2012/May/1595_Squires_explaining_high_hlt_care_spending_intl_brief.pdf
Part I: Critical Thinking Basics
Choose 2 Arguments from each position and do the following:
Stage 1: (a) (i) Break the argument down into premise-conclusion form (paraphrasing is OK)(ii) identify and include any relevant hidden premises and conclusions; (b) diagram the argument; (c) evaluate and justify your evaluations of (i) premise acceptability, (ii) relevance, (iii) sufficiency, (iv) burden of proof
Stage 2: (a) Is the source of the empirical assertions (data) biased (i.e., affiliated with a partisan political think-tank) or from an impartial source (university study/gov't or UN website)? (b) Is there any slanting by distortion or omission (is there any important information that is being either trivialized or misrepresented)? (c) Are there any red herrings or strawmen? (d) Is there any emotional language/euphemisms?
Part II: Being a Good Philosopher
Part of being a good philosopher is adhering to the principle of charity. The principle of charity is that you should always interpret your opponent's argument in the strongest way possible. By showing that a weak version of the argument fails, you leave the door open for many counter-replies. What you want to do is interpret their position in the strongest way. This way you show that even in its strongest interpretation it fails and that particular line of argument for the conclusion is blocked off.
An even stronger version of the principle of charity is to offer your opponent ways to make their argument stronger. That is, you're going to help your opponent! Lets try this:
Stage 1
(a) Pick one argument from each side that you think is weak (you can use the same arguments you used in Part 1 if you like); (b) break it down into premise-conclusion form and explain why it is weak (i.e., what are the weak inferences and premises); (c) add premises, sub-arguments, and look for data to better support the position.
Part III: Being a Good Skeptic (NOT Contrarian or Conspiracy Theorist!)
Choose 1 argument from each position that makes empirical claims (You may choose them from Part I or Part 2 or use different ones)
Stage 1: Imagine the person who gave you these arguments has a reputation for lying--in fact, they are a pathological lier. In other words, the fact that their conclusion may coincide with your own views is no reason to suppose that their premises true. You don't want to hold an position for the wrong reasons. That would make you no better than the people on the other side of the issue!
Use your fancy computer and the "internet" to fact check every single assertion they make. Don't go to just one site--look at sites that are politically neutral as well as on either side of the issue (I recommend using the links above but you're welcome to find some of your own). This is the only way to get at the truth...and you're on a one-way mission!
Stage 1:
What are their empirical assertions? (facts, statistics, what people value, what is good, predictions about the future, etc...). These will be the contents of their premises.
Stage 2:
After compiling your research, answer the following questions: (a) To what degree are the assertions true? (b) if they aren't completely false, what part is true and what is distorted or omitted? Explain; (c) supposing the assertions are true or partially true, to what degree are they relevant to the conclusion? (d) What other information might be relevant to the conclusion that isn't included or distorted (refer back to (b))?
Part IV: Constructing Your Own Good Arguments
Based on all you have learned from your investigation of other arguments and the background information construct one argument, in premise conclusion form, for each position (i.e., for and against) on the ACA.
For your against position, you must also argue for what you would put in place of the ACA or how you'd modify it. When you construct you own arguments for each position, you are expected to create you own arguments. Also remember, when you come up with your negative argument (vs ACA), in addition to pointing out the problems with the ACA you have to say how your solution addresses those problems and you must also say how your solution will address (i) the large number of people who currently can't afford healthcare, (ii) the people who have pre-existing conditions.
Be prepared to defend both your arguments in class! Hint: Anticipate objections!
Part V: Peer Evaluation
Every student, in a separate private email, must submit an evaluation for each of your group members contribution to the group project.
According to the following criteria rank each group member on a scale of 1 to 4, where 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree.
(A) Attends group meetings regularly and arrives on time.
(B) Contributes meaningfully to group discussions.
(C) Completes group assignments on time.
(D) Prepares work in a quality manner.
(E) Demonstrates a cooperative and supportive attitude.
(F) Contributes significantly to the success of the project.
If your peers give you an average evaluation score that is less than 3 received for the assignment, this lower evaluation will be reflected in your individual overall score for the assignment.
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE ACA
Pro ACA
Argument 1
No matter which side of the health reform debate you fall on, one thing is certain: premiums have been rising sharply, and hard-working American families are struggling to afford the high costs.
A 2009 Families USA study showed that from 2000-2009 health insurance premiums skyrocketed, while wages have remained at a standstill-causing a strain on family budgets.
Thanks to the economy, those lucky enough to keep their jobs often see their share of health insurance premiums go up, while their salary stays the same. Other workers are required to pay more out of pocket for services each year, while still more lose their coverage entirely. As health care costs continue to rise, more and more workers are priced out of job-based coverage. Currently, many of these workers and their families are forced to face the wild west of the individual insurance market or go without coverage entirely.
Because of health reform, however, Americans are no longer left out in the cold when it comes to purchasing coverage. Those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford the high cost of insurance in the individual market will finally get the relief they've been waiting for. And those who have ever been sick and have seen their premiums unfairly jacked up will now be eligible to receive financial assistance-so no one will be priced out of the system.
Argument 2
It is likely sometime in your life that you, or someone you know, have been denied insurance coverage due to a pre-existing condition. According to a report recently released by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services:
"12.6 million non-elderly adults - 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market - were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years."
To make matters worse, even if an individual is able to gain coverage, insurance companies are still able to water down your coverage due to your determined pre-existing condition. For example:
"[S]omeone with a pre-existing condition of hay fever could have any respiratory system disease - such as bronchitis or pneumonia - excluded from coverage."
For the millions of Americans who have had to suffer under this discriminatory system, the passage of health reform is a true blessing. Insurance companies will no longer be able to turn down Americans for coverage based on their pre-existing condition, health status, gender or age.
Argument 3
Andrew Ondrejcak, 24, was attempting to live out his dream. He moved from a small town to New York City to start a career in fashion. To make ends-meet, Andrew worked at a local bakery. He could barely afford rent and health insurance was out of the question.
According to Andrew,
"Health insurance wasn't even an option. I was flying through my savings, trying to get a career started. I was doing a lot of assisting [for] designers who were doing great work, but I wasn't making anything. The last thing I'm going to do is spend $300 or whatever on insurance, you know?"
Unfortunately, Andrew became ill. Looking around for a doctor to help him, he found that many would not see him because he didn't have insurance. When he finally found a doctor, he also found that the price was high: A simple doctor' visit would be $200. It was a devastating blow. According to Andrew,
"Basically all the money I'd made that week. I left keeling over in pain but took the bus home because I was so broke.
Andrew's ulcers, which he had problems with a few years back, returned and the pain intensified. The doctor's remedy did not work, and Andrew was rushed to the hospital. So now, he is left with pain, suffering, and debt.
In America, a person who tries to pursue their dream should not be penalized because they get sick. Luckily, for people in Andrew's situation, health reform has eliminated that horrifying scenario from happening to anyone else.
Under health reform, people like Andrew who are dubbed "young invincibles" will now be able to stay on their parents' insurance plans until they are 26. This allows for young adults to start careers, move, and take risks without the threat of debt. It is a simple measure, but it will help prevent other kids striking out on their own from going through what Andrew went through.
Argument 4
A common misconception about health insurance is that if you are covered, you don't have to worry about skyrocketing health care costs. We pay insurance companies premiums every month so we won't have to shell out tons of money when we get sick, right? In theory that's true, but in practice it doesn't always work out that way.
According to a report by Families USA, nearly one in four Americans were in families that spent more than 10 percent of their pre-tax income on health care related expenses in 2009. And 18.7 million Americans were in families that spent more than 25 percent of their pre-tax income on health care. For middle-class families struggling to make ends meet, that is a significant chunk of change.
Left unchecked, rising premiums and out-of-pocket costs could leave more Americans in a tight bind-and in some cases could lead to bankruptcy.
Another report by Families USA shows that unaffordable cost-sharing leads people to delay treatment even when they're sick. This means that when they get so sick they must seek out treatment, it's inevitably more expensive.
Thanks to health reform, however, Americans can expect some relief. Thanks to health reform, the amount that anyone will have to pay out of pocket for health expenses each year will be capped -giving Americans peace of mind that they will be covered when they need it most.Additionally, lower- and moderate-income people will receive extra assistance with out-of-pocket costs and will have lower out-of-pocket caps.
Against ACA:
Argument 1:
Health care should not be government run. It is inefficient and just like in most countries will become bankrupt because of the simple fact that not everyone can pay into the system. While some may have to manage without healthcare the most efficient way to provide quality cheap insurance is to have a private healthcare system with multiple company’s that compete for business. This will allow for technological advancements in the medical field as well due to investment opportunity’s that would not be available through a government run system. While there should be government intervention and oversight it should be limited.
Argument 2:
(P1) Many people already have some form of health care program or insurance.
(P2) Many people that are unfortunate enough not to have a health care program of their own are
provided assistance through various programs.
(P3) Penalizing people who do not have health care could make their financial situation worse.
(MC) The purposed reforms to the health care system will help the few, not the many.
Argument 3:
Argument 1
No matter which side of the health reform debate you fall on, one thing is certain: premiums have been rising sharply, and hard-working American families are struggling to afford the high costs.
A 2009 Families USA study showed that from 2000-2009 health insurance premiums skyrocketed, while wages have remained at a standstill-causing a strain on family budgets.
Thanks to the economy, those lucky enough to keep their jobs often see their share of health insurance premiums go up, while their salary stays the same. Other workers are required to pay more out of pocket for services each year, while still more lose their coverage entirely. As health care costs continue to rise, more and more workers are priced out of job-based coverage. Currently, many of these workers and their families are forced to face the wild west of the individual insurance market or go without coverage entirely.
Because of health reform, however, Americans are no longer left out in the cold when it comes to purchasing coverage. Those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford the high cost of insurance in the individual market will finally get the relief they've been waiting for. And those who have ever been sick and have seen their premiums unfairly jacked up will now be eligible to receive financial assistance-so no one will be priced out of the system.
Argument 2
It is likely sometime in your life that you, or someone you know, have been denied insurance coverage due to a pre-existing condition. According to a report recently released by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services:
"12.6 million non-elderly adults - 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market - were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years."
To make matters worse, even if an individual is able to gain coverage, insurance companies are still able to water down your coverage due to your determined pre-existing condition. For example:
"[S]omeone with a pre-existing condition of hay fever could have any respiratory system disease - such as bronchitis or pneumonia - excluded from coverage."
For the millions of Americans who have had to suffer under this discriminatory system, the passage of health reform is a true blessing. Insurance companies will no longer be able to turn down Americans for coverage based on their pre-existing condition, health status, gender or age.
Argument 3
Andrew Ondrejcak, 24, was attempting to live out his dream. He moved from a small town to New York City to start a career in fashion. To make ends-meet, Andrew worked at a local bakery. He could barely afford rent and health insurance was out of the question.
According to Andrew,
"Health insurance wasn't even an option. I was flying through my savings, trying to get a career started. I was doing a lot of assisting [for] designers who were doing great work, but I wasn't making anything. The last thing I'm going to do is spend $300 or whatever on insurance, you know?"
Unfortunately, Andrew became ill. Looking around for a doctor to help him, he found that many would not see him because he didn't have insurance. When he finally found a doctor, he also found that the price was high: A simple doctor' visit would be $200. It was a devastating blow. According to Andrew,
"Basically all the money I'd made that week. I left keeling over in pain but took the bus home because I was so broke.
Andrew's ulcers, which he had problems with a few years back, returned and the pain intensified. The doctor's remedy did not work, and Andrew was rushed to the hospital. So now, he is left with pain, suffering, and debt.
In America, a person who tries to pursue their dream should not be penalized because they get sick. Luckily, for people in Andrew's situation, health reform has eliminated that horrifying scenario from happening to anyone else.
Under health reform, people like Andrew who are dubbed "young invincibles" will now be able to stay on their parents' insurance plans until they are 26. This allows for young adults to start careers, move, and take risks without the threat of debt. It is a simple measure, but it will help prevent other kids striking out on their own from going through what Andrew went through.
Argument 4
A common misconception about health insurance is that if you are covered, you don't have to worry about skyrocketing health care costs. We pay insurance companies premiums every month so we won't have to shell out tons of money when we get sick, right? In theory that's true, but in practice it doesn't always work out that way.
According to a report by Families USA, nearly one in four Americans were in families that spent more than 10 percent of their pre-tax income on health care related expenses in 2009. And 18.7 million Americans were in families that spent more than 25 percent of their pre-tax income on health care. For middle-class families struggling to make ends meet, that is a significant chunk of change.
Left unchecked, rising premiums and out-of-pocket costs could leave more Americans in a tight bind-and in some cases could lead to bankruptcy.
Another report by Families USA shows that unaffordable cost-sharing leads people to delay treatment even when they're sick. This means that when they get so sick they must seek out treatment, it's inevitably more expensive.
Thanks to health reform, however, Americans can expect some relief. Thanks to health reform, the amount that anyone will have to pay out of pocket for health expenses each year will be capped -giving Americans peace of mind that they will be covered when they need it most.Additionally, lower- and moderate-income people will receive extra assistance with out-of-pocket costs and will have lower out-of-pocket caps.
Against ACA:
Argument 1:
Health care should not be government run. It is inefficient and just like in most countries will become bankrupt because of the simple fact that not everyone can pay into the system. While some may have to manage without healthcare the most efficient way to provide quality cheap insurance is to have a private healthcare system with multiple company’s that compete for business. This will allow for technological advancements in the medical field as well due to investment opportunity’s that would not be available through a government run system. While there should be government intervention and oversight it should be limited.
Argument 2:
(P1) Many people already have some form of health care program or insurance.
(P2) Many people that are unfortunate enough not to have a health care program of their own are
provided assistance through various programs.
(P3) Penalizing people who do not have health care could make their financial situation worse.
(MC) The purposed reforms to the health care system will help the few, not the many.
Argument 3:
Who Makes Medical Decisions? While the House and Senate language is vague, amendments offered in House and Senate committees to block government rationing of care were routinely defeated. Cost or a federal health board could be the deciding factor. President Obama himself admitted this when he said, “Maybe you’re better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller,” when asked about an elderly woman who needed a pacemaker.
Argument 4:
Argument 4:
Medicare and Medicaid is pushing the federal budget to the breaking point. Obamacare makes the problem much worse by adding to the entitlement crisis in the form of a massive Medicaid expansion and a new entitlement subsidy for households with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. These two spending entitlement programs will add at least 35 million Americans to the government rolls at an expense of more than $200 billion annually by the end of the decade.
Argument 5:
Argument 5:
People are welcome to argue that Obamacare is a great deal, that it’s worth all that added spending to get extra coverage for tens of millions of Americans. But of course, that’s not how Obamacare was sold. Rather than tell Americans the truth that they’d have to pay more and that the extra price was worth it, candidate Obama promised the ultimate free lunch: we’ll cover 30 million uninsured AND the typical family will see their premiums go down by $2500 (per year!!!!). Every one of these promises/claims/predictions turned out to be totally wrong. We can start having a productive debate when progressives are willing to concede these simple, easily demonstrable empirical claims. And then perhaps we can move on to junking this unworkable law and replacing it with the world-class patient-centered health system Americans deserve.
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