Editorial Board
Obamacare's Other Success, Under Threat
The law set minimum rules for health plans. Congress wants to roll them back.
Every Republican in Congress, responding to Obamacare.
Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesObamacare has made great strides toward its signature goal: to reduce the number of Americans without health insurance. Unfortunately, another important goal -- ensuring that everyone's insurance policy provides adequate coverage -- remains under siege in the courts and Congress.
Before the Affordable Care Act, private health insurers were free to exclude coverage for all sorts of care. In 2011, 62 percent of people who bought their own policies had to pay for maternity care out of pocket; 34 percent had no coverage for substance abuse services; and 18 percent weren't insured for mental health care. One in 10 had no help buying prescription drugs.