In 2009, when the American government introduced the Affordable Care Act as a healthcare plan, it promised that every citizen could afford to buy healthcare based on their income. Time and again, the President mentioned that the Affordable Care Act would be a blessing as it would save families $2500 per year and allow those with healthcare coverage to keep their existing plans. A healthcare reform is a big deal for America and its millions of uninsured citizens, but not everyone is jumping for joy. Single moms striving to make ends meet do not seem to gain much out of the government’s healthcare plan.  

The Affordable Care Act not really affordable

Since mid-October, families have started receiving apology letters from their insurance companies informing them regretfully that they will not be able to continue their healthcare plans. They would have to enroll for Obamacare, the health care reform that was supposed to act as a savior for those that couldn't afford healthcare. 

But as things unfold we're starting to realize that the Act isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's rather surprising that people now have to pay hundreds more every month for healthcare because the Act requires people to get coverage for literally everything under the sun - from maternity to preventive healthcare. A single mom, past the childbearing age, was informed that she would have pay extra bucks because she was required to have maternity insurance. Single mothers are often struggling to make ends meet, for them to be pushed into a corner, for something that was technically supposed to give them financial relief, is a little absurd.

Single moms and Affordable Care Act

A recent Pew Research record says that 40% of households all over the country with children under the age of 18 are run by women who are either the sole or primary breadwinners of their family. Two-thirds of this 40% are single moms. The yearly income of single mothers who act as sole providers falls much further below the income that's earned by a married mother. So instead of being a good form of insurance for single mothers, Obamacare is only going to help make things harder. 

Single moms with an average income of $23,000 per year often strive to make ends meet. Signing up for Obamacare means you end up with an added chunk of money being spent on healthcare. After deductions and bills, spending this additional amount could spell disaster for single mothers. 

To make matters worse, citizens refusing to be enrolled in the Affordable Care Act will be charged a fine. 1% of their income will be deducted and additional 1% will be charged if they continue to decline the government’s healthcare plan. While it doesn't seem like much, a single mother who's struggling to keep all her finances straight could really use the money she'll end up getting fined. 

Obamacare was meant to help the American people by ensuring that no one was left out of the healthcare pool. However, when it comes to single mothers we see that the situation is nowhere near ideal. They have one of two options, both options will hurt them. They can either cough up the money needed for Obamacare and see their monthly income become smaller, or they can opt out of Obamacare and end up paying a fine they most likely cannot afford. In this care single mothers will lose some, and then some.