Health care law will help, not hinder, creation of jobs

Since defeat of attempts to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act, I've reflected on how little most people seem to understand about its positive effects. There are simply no words to express the importance of this act in our family right now.

A close relative and small business owner has health issues that require him to sell his company earlier than planned. When it sells, he -- like many others forced out of their jobs-- must seek health insurance as an individual. He is two years short of qualifying for Medicare; his condition will not be tolerable within that time without significant medical interventions.

Our comfort comes from knowing that, while probably pricey, insurance for our relative cannot be denied because of his pre-existing condition. Without insurance he could easily use the entire proceeds from selling his business, intended to fund his retirement.

Republicans have chosen to spend precious time trying to repeal this law, creating fears and negativity about it which are undeserved and delaying action on more urgent issues like the economy and jobs.

They continue to misrepresent the bill, branding it as a "job destroyer," (it actually creates jobs if implemented as planned), and repealing it would add billions to the nation's debt ($145 billion over 10 years). Provided the Act is implemented as planned, it will reduce our deficits -- but Republicans aim to prevent implementation.

They have stirred up a great protest to the individual mandate, but they gloss over the fact that the millions of uninsured people in today's market are key drivers of the cost increases the rest of us bear.

In a recent news magazine interview, the CEO of a major for-profit insurance company complained that the Affordable Health Care Act would force him to change his business model. Good. That model no longer works -- and we are all paying dearly so companies like his can make a profit.