Partisan warfare, fragmented institutions, and market challenges continue to shape the rollout of Obamacare

Though passed by Congress in 2010, the Affordable Care Act, also known as ‘Obamacare’ only came into place towards the end of 2013. The initial months of the program have been characterized by a litany of IT failures for the healthcare.gov website, and concern over gaps in health insurance coverage. Daniel Béland, Philip Rocco, and Alex Waddan write that while the debate over Obamacare is no longer about its repeal, its supporters and opponents still face battles over how it is instituted. They argue that Republican states are using their legislative capacity to thwart the law, which may give Democrats the opportunity to place blame on them for coverage gaps.