Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010, aiming to increase access to healthcare, improve the quality of care, and reduce overall costs.

Overview of the act

The ACA includes numerous provisions designed to improve access to healthcare and ensure that insurance companies provide fair coverage.

General provisions

Under the ACA, there are no limits on how long an individual can receive healthcare from an insurance company. If insurers wish to increase the cost of their coverage, they must provide a public explanation for their decision. Insurance premiums must now be spent solely on healthcare, not on administrative costs or employee salaries.

Preventive care, which focuses on preventing illnesses, is now available free of charge to many individuals. Healthcare plans also offer increased choice in selecting doctors, and individuals can access emergency care at hospitals not covered by their insurance.

Coverage for children

The ACA enables young adults to remain on their parents' health insurance until the age of 26. Furthermore, insurers must provide coverage to children under 19, even if they have pre-existing conditions. This prevents insurance companies from limiting coverage to only healthy children.

Individual mandate

The ACA's individual mandate requires individuals without health insurance to pay a tax penalty until they obtain coverage. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that this penalty is constitutional. The penalty increases each year until 2016, though some exceptions apply for low-income individuals who cannot obtain insurance for free.

Employer responsibilities

Starting in 2015, companies with more than 50 full-time employees must provide health insurance to their workers. Companies with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from this requirement. A full-time employee is defined as someone who works more than 30 hours per week at a single job.

Health insurance marketplace

Individuals without health insurance, or those unhappy with their current coverage, can purchase insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. The Marketplace is accessible via the Healthcare.gov website. To receive coverage by January 1, 2014, individuals must register for insurance by December 15, 2013. Those who fail to obtain coverage by January 1 may face a tax penalty under the individual mandate. The Marketplace offers support for those experiencing difficulties during the registration process.

All health insurance plans available on the Marketplace must cover prescription medications, emergency care, maternity care, mental health care, rehabilitation services, and more. Maternity care focuses on providing support to pregnant women and their newborns.

Medicaid expansion

Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program for low-income individuals, jointly financed by the states and the federal government. The ACA expands Medicaid eligibility, though states can choose whether to participate in the expansion. If a state opts in, the federal government covers the majority of the associated costs.

Opposition to the act

Death Panel protest

Impact on businesses

Some critics expressed concerns that companies would avoid hiring new employees or reduce workers' hours to avoid providing health insurance. While there have been isolated cases of this happening, no statistical evidence supports a widespread trend.

Medicaid expansion

Twenty-seven states have objected to the Medicaid expansion. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that these states are not obligated to participate in the expansion, despite the federal government's wishes.

Government shutdown

In October 2013, the government shut down for 16 days when Republicans refused to raise the debt ceiling unless President Obama agreed to repeal the ACA. This led to a temporary halt in government operations. Over 800,000 government employees were furloughed during this time and later received back pay.

Death panels

In August 2009, former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin claimed that the ACA would create death panels responsible for deciding whether elderly individuals should receive healthcare or be left to die. Numerous news outlets and researchers have debunked this claim.

2017 repeal effort

On May 4, 2017, the American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA) was narrowly passed by the United States House of Representatives with a vote of 217 to 213, sending the bill to the Senate for consideration This marked the second time the AHCA was voted on in the House, as the first version failed to pass in March 2017. President Donald Trump supported the passage of the AHCA and advocated for the repeal and replacement of the ACA.

However, the Senate ultimately did not pass the AHCA, and the effort to repeal and replace the ACA stalled. The ACA remains in effect, though there have been subsequent attempts to modify or repeal it.

Related pages

• Health care
• Constitutional challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
• Contraceptive mandate
• David Zubik
• Legal challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Other websites

• HealthCare.Gov

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