Race Shadows Every Assault on the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) represented far more than healthcare policy reform—it became a lightning rod for racial animus directed at America's first Black president. The law, which contained sixty-two provisions specifically designed to address racial health disparities and constituted what advocates called the most comprehensive minority health legislation in U.S. history, fundamentally challenged centuries of inequitable healthcare access for marginalized communities. Republican opposition to the ACA intensified not despite its success in reducing racial health gaps and expanding coverage, but precisely because of these achievements under Black presidential leadership.