As President Obama exits the Oval Office and Donald Trump takes office, there is talk of repeal of the Affordable Care Act(ACA) or Obamacare. Oklahoma residents are upset and worried about what might happen if their ability to pay for health care is taken away.

According to the Tulsa World, concerned Oklahoma residents visited Senator Lankford at his Tulsa office on Jan. 12 to discuss why they believe the ACA should not be repealed. Lankford expressed that alternative health care plans would replace Obamacare and might be more beneficial.

While the ACA has benefited an abundance of people across the U.S. and in Oklahoma, some changes should be made. Some do not agree with the penalty associated with not enrolling in Obamacare.

Some citizens, who make below the threshold income, do not qualify for assistance in paying for health care. Oklahoma has a high poverty level; those in poverty cannot always afford to pay for health insurance.

These residents are denied assistance to help pay for health insurance and are still threatened with the penalty of not enrolling. This makes filing taxes an even more tedious chore. When filing taxes, citizens not enrolled in any type of health insurance, are subject to a penalty of up to $695. To get this waived they must fill out additional paperwork and may even be subject to a longer waiting period for their tax return.

The Affordable Care Act has benefited thousands of Oklahoma residents. To benefit thousands more, Senator Lankford and other Oklahoma representatives should fight on Oklahoma’s behalf, to get rid of the penalty associated with ACA. The government should not be able to force citizens to enroll in health insurance if they do not want it.