What’s the Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act, also known as the ACA or Obamacare, was signed into law on March 23, 2010. The various federal requirements under this health care law are commonly referred to as national health care reform.
The Affordable Care Act has some important goals to make sure everyone can get the health care they need.
The ACA strives to ensure that everyone has access to health coverage, especially those who were previously uninsured.
If you already have individual or family health insurance, the Affordable Care Act works to keep your rights safe. That means your insurance company should treat you fairly and can't deny you coverage for being sick.
Health plans should include a basic set of benefits like help with buying medicine, annual physicals to prevent illness, and more. This means you get more value and peace of mind from your health insurance.
Health care can be expensive, but the ACA is here to help. It looks for ways to lower costs so that more people can afford the health care they need.
Understanding the ACA is important because it affects your health care options and rights. Whether you need to sign up for health insurance or want to make sure your current health plan is doing what it should, knowing about the ACA can help you make informed decisions.