Effects of Media Distortion

1384 Words3 Pages

A few weeks ago, when the health insurance exchange marketplace rolled out, my roommate stomped into our apartment, ranting about how she doesn’t like “Obamacare.” The reason being that she will soon be twenty six years old and no longer able to remain on her parents’ insurance plan, meaning that she will be required to find a plan of her own. Despite the fact that she didn’t realize that it was “Obamacare” that allowed her to stay on her parents’ plan for as long as she did, she complained that her own plan will be too expensive. After I explained to her that she would likely qualify for subsidies if she applied through Cover Oregon, our state’s insurance exchange marketplace, she brought up her concern regarding her pre-existing condition. I found it surprising that she wasn’t aware that, come 2014, insurance companies will be legally prohibited from denying her for that reason. It was apparent to me that although discussion about “Obamacare” in the media was commonplace, the media wasn’t doing a very good job informing the population of what it actually is or does. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as “Obamacare,” is 906 pages long. It’s safe to say most people have not read it all the way through. I tried once; I don’t believe I made it farther than the table of contents. It’s exhaustive. Yet so many claim to be experts on the law and it’s surprising how much misinformation has been spread because of this. Therefore, common perception of the Affordable Care Act has been distorted because the media’s portrayal of the law has been misleading. Their intention, unfortunately, is not to just report straight facts, but to portray things in a way that will incite more controversy and result in mor... ... middle of paper ... ...ublic receives information from more than just a few huge mass media corporations. With these changes, journalism now could make the shift back to the more accurate and informative reporting that we had before the 1980s and we could have a system that works in a way that benefits the public. Works Cited "Culture, Conflict, and Contradiction in the U.S.A." Signs of Life in the U.S.A: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Ed. Sonia Maasik. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 513-23. Print. Kimmel, Jimmy, prod. "Six of One - Obamacare vs. The Affordable Care Act." Jimmy Kimmel Live! ABC. N.d. YouTube. YouTube, 01 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. Leisman, Steve. "What's in a Name? Lots When It Comes to Obamacare/ACA." CNBC.com. CNBC, 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. Sorkin, Aaron, dir. "The 112th Congress." The Newsroom. HBO. 08 July 2012. Television.

Open Document