Frames of Rights, Entitlement, Need, and Deservingness in the Affordable Care Act

Abstract

I analyze four frames deployed by members of United States Congress on the floor of the House of Representatives before the initial passage of the Affordable Care Act on November 7, 2009. Of the four frames—need, rights, deservingness, and entitlement—need was by far the most commonly used frame in the debate followed by rights, deservingness, and entitlement. I conclude that while Congress may broadly agree that Americans need and even deserve health care, it provided no right or entitlement to care under the Affordable Care Act.