Now that 7 million signed up for Obamacare, what should Democratic candidates be saying now

Now that 7 million have signed up for Obamacare,  it is time that Democrats stop running away from the issue and stand up to their voting record.  My suggested talking points for Democratic candidates in swing states and districts:

“15 million now have affordable health insurance, whether signing up through the exchanges, by  Medicaid expansion, or buying it through their insurance agent. 9 million of those never had health insurance before. This is the beginning and it may take three years for everyone else to join in, but the GOP wants to take it away from you now. That’s what happens if they get their way to  repeal the whole law. They want you to return to the days when you could go bankrupt or lose your home over medical bills you could never pay.

“I know there are some rough edges to the law and we need to go back and fix those, but you need to know what principles, essential benefits required to be covered by insurance,  and  parts of the law I will fight to keep for both those who get their insurance through their employers and those who do not:

1.       Pre existing conditions must be covered

2.       Kids must be able to stay on their parents’ plan until they are 26

3.       Lifetime caps on coverage must be eliminated

4.       Women cannot be charged more than men; women’s reproductive health must be covered

5.       Insurance cannot be dropped when you get sick

6.       We cannot charge co-pays for cancer screenings…including mammograms, prostate, and colon screenings

7.       All insurance should be required to  cover  essential services such as: ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization,  and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment, prescription drugs, rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices, laboratory services, preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management ,pediatric services, including oral and vision care

8.       80% of premiums must be used to cover benefits

9.       Providers, hospitals should be rewarded for efficient, good service, but they should not be rewarded for repeat admissions, duplicative tests

10. Premiums must be kept affordable based upon income levels, and available for those near poverty who cannot  afford to pay for private insurance .
11. The financial sustainability  of the program must be preserved and not undermined.

If there are better ways to achieve these goals, I am open to them.”