John Melling: ACA needs improving

Your Nov. 1 editorial “ACA expense is deceptive” spoke many truths.

Yes the ACA has provided affordable health insurance through advanced premium tax credits, aka subsidies. Yes the ACA has given the previously uninsurable the opportunity to purchase health insurance regardless of any pre-existing conditions. But if someone doesn’t qualify for a subsidy, the premium for even the lowest Bronze plan is outrageously expensive. The majority of North Carolina residents do not qualify for a subsidy because they either make too much or are covered under their employer’s health insurance.

Regarding group health insurance, many employers are holding onto their grandfathered health plans because they see the significant increase in rates if they switch to an ACA compliant plan. As an insurance professional, I applaud the positives of the ACA but the ACA is a plan that serves the needs of the few at the expense of the many. It has to be improved so that all of us can truly benefit from it.

This story was originally published November 11, 2016 at 11:32 AM with the headline "John Melling: ACA needs improving."