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The Fight Over Obamacare

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With John Harwood in for Tom Ashbrook.

Obamacare supporters and opponents are taking their battle stations. Digging in. We’ll check in on the clash.

In this May 16, 2013 file photo, House Speaker, Republican John Boehner of Ohio, points toward the tall stack of paper, representing 20,000 pages of Affordable Care Act regulations, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. The health care law has been a political prop for two election seasons already, but next year will be different. if the rollout of the law works reasonably well, particularly in states that have embraced it, there is an risk for Republicans, who have touted it as such a disaster that enraged voters will reward the GOP with undisputed control of Congress in next year's elections. (Molly Riley/AP File)
In this May 16, 2013 file photo, House Speaker, Republican John Boehner of Ohio, points toward the tall stack of paper, representing 20,000 pages of Affordable Care Act regulations, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Molly Riley/AP File)

You've heard the political rhetoric — for five years.

But now we are just five months away from the reality of Obamacare. With Republicans still fighting, can the administration make it work? Will young people sign up? Will states cooperate? Will "rate shock" hurt businesses and destroy jobs?

This hour, On Point: implementing the biggest domestic policy change in a generation.

Guests

Chris Jennings, White House Coordinator of Health Reform Implementation. He served as Senior Health Care Advisor to President Bill Clinton at the Domestic Policy and National Economic Councils from 1993 to 2001.

Julie Rovner, health policy correspondent for NPR, specializing in the politics of healthcare. Author of "Health Care Policy and Politics A-Z." (@jrovner)

Gail Wilensky, economist and senior fellow at Project Hope (@projecthopeorg), an international health education foundation. She was Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, directing the Medicare and Medicaid programs under President George H.W. Bush.

Kevin Counihan, chief executive officer at Access Health CT (@AccessHealthCT), Connecticut's state agency created to implement the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

From The Reading List

The New York Times: 10 Questions For Obama’s Chief Technology Officer: "Todd Park, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, serves as President Obama’s chief technology officer. His role has taken on heightened importance after several recent developments, including the implementation of the new health care law, efforts to reduce the backlog in Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing, and privacy issues raised by disclosures about data collection by the National Security Agency."

Reuters: Republicans Prepare For 'Obamacare' Showdown, With Eye To 2014 Elections: "With the Obama administration poised for a huge public education campaign on healthcare reform, Republicans and their allies are mobilizing a counter-offensive including town hall meetings, protests and media promotions to dissuade uninsured Americans from obtaining health coverage."

The Washington Post: Inside The Obamacare Resistance: "Dean Clancy is a vice president at FreedomWorks, where he has spent years fighting President Obama’s health-care law. But now, with a Supreme Court case and presidential election both lost, he and his allies are banking on a last-ditch campaign to undermine Obamacare: convince Americans to ignore it altogether."

Video

On July 18, 2013, President Obama spoke on the Affordable Care Act:

This program aired on August 5, 2013.

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