US President Barack Obama has said his highly-criticised signature healthcare programme is ‘here to stay’ after more than 7 million Americans signed up, declaring a rare victory after a months-long, glitch-filled roll-out of the law.
Said to be his top legislative achievement of his presidency, the programme has been criticised by not only the opposition Republican Party, but also the strong healthcare lobby.
"The debate over repealing this law is over.
“The Affordable Care Act is here to stay," Obama said from the White House Rose Garden one day after the deadline for open enrolment.
"Despite several lost weeks out of the gate because of problems with the website, 7.1 million Americans have now signed up for private insurance plans through these marketplaces," Obama said.
"We have taken a big step forward. And just as importantly, this law is bringing greater security to Americans who already have coverage.
“Because of the Affordable Care Act, 100 million Americans have gained free preventive care, like mammograms and contraceptive care, under their existing plans," he said.
At the same time, Obama acknowledged that like every major piece of legislation -- from Social Security to Medicare -- the law is not perfect.
"We've had to make adjustments along the way, and the implementation -- especially with the website -- has had its share of problems. We know something about that," he said.
"And, yes, at times this reform has been contentious and confusing, and obviously it’s had its share of critics.
That's part of what change looks like in a democracy. Change is hard.
“Fixing what’s broken is hard. Overcoming skepticism and fear of something new is hard.
“A lot of times folks would prefer the devil they know to the devil they don't," he added.
Former US president Bill Clinton described it as a very good news.
"The news today from Washington is very good -- over 7 million Americans signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act," he said, adding that millions more working families are now covered through Medicaid expansion.
"President Obama, the people who worked so hard to implement the law, and those who voted for it should be commended," he said.
Image: President Obama talks on the phone; White House Photo by Pete Souza
