Even in its original state, the unmodified Affordable Care Act of 2010 would leave 6% of the American population uninsured3, and the fiscal deficits incurred from administering the new programs like the healthcare exchange would have been unsustainable without major revisions to the federal budget. In an effort to reduce the proportion of uninsured consumers, federal regulators impose mandates and penalties on individuals and large companies with 50 or more employees to purchase coverage, along with an annual penalty for deferring coverage. .
Most Republicans advocate the interests of private insurers and pharmaceuticals. Private insurers seek to protect their practices to exclude high risk consumers with preexisting conditions through lobbying and campaign finance. While the private entities are motivated by profits, the full-time employed, wealthy constituency also favor privatized healthcare. From the standpoint of insurance coverage, the single-payer system offers basic medical care to the poor and elderly, and private insurance plans emphasize quality of care. While private "Cadillac" insurance plans are available to only a small percentage of constituents, those who can afford these plans can access specialized services that a single-payer system cannot support. Private healthcare plans allow medical specialists to see patients longer, preserving high quality specialized medicine.
The pharmaceutical sector also accrues benefits from private healthcare. With most innovative research taking place in university and start -up labs, large manufacturers offer incentives for innovation by acquiring patents through buyouts, once they are approved for sale by the FDA. Allowing private pharmaceuticals in the industry encourages more innovative activity. Republicans protect the interest of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies, preserving the capability for the health care system to deliver world renowned specialized care and encourage innovation.
