In 2010, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh told his listeners if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is approved by Congress and in full force in 2015, he would move out of the country.
“I’ll tell you this,” he said. “if this passes and it’s five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented – I am leaving the country. I’ll go to Costa Rica.” He predicted that the ACA would have a disastrous effect on the country. Actually, the insurance program has had a successful journey in the last five years, surviving two Supreme Court challenges, a disastrous website glitch, and major opposition from many quarters.
The ACA has been able to enroll millions of previously uninsured Americans, lower the yearly increases in healthcare costs, and is functioning very well. Criticism from others, including Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Michele Bachmann has also been proven wrong, as there are no death panels, no medicine rationing, and no skyrocketing premiums.
So far, Limbaugh shows no indication that he is planning a move. As noted in an Addicting Info article, he may argue that his plan was to leave if the economy collapsed, but as of now he has not clarified his relocation plans. He may not appreciate that Costa Rica has universal health care, like every other developed nation.