Affordable Care Act (ACA)

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or more simply Obamacare, is a famous healthcare reform legislation. It was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama back in 2010.

The Affordable Care Act includes a variety of provisions that change the way people look at healthcare. One of its main objectives is to help millions of uninsured Americans get health coverage. It also aims to improve the efficiency of the nation's healthcare system, cut down on health insurance costs and get rid of industry practices that negatively affect patients, such as denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Under the ACA, those who qualify can receive subsidies that help them lower the cost of health insurance. Millions of individuals were also able to secure health coverage when the law expanded access to Medicaid in several states.

Americans have the option of enrolling in an ACA-compliant health plan during an open enrollment period that takes place each year. It's also possible to enroll in a plan outside of the open enrollment period for those who have a qualifying life event.

According to data released by the government, more than 20 million Americans were able to receive health insurance coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Estimates done by the Congressional Budget Office when the ACA was first enacted show that the new law has the potential to reduce the federal deficit by lose to $145 billion during the first ten years.

Soon after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at de-funding the Affordable Care Act. One of Trump's main campaign promises was to roll back the law put in place by President Obama. Trump claims that de-funding the ACA is needed to reduce the fiscal burden on the government.

Healthcare in the US is a topic that can be complex and often quite controversial. This is why it's important to understand that the intention of the Affordable Care Act is to:

• - Reduce the number of Americans without health insurance.
• - Reduce the costs of health insurance, all while keeping the standard of care and its availability high.
• - Restrict the ability for private insurance companies to significantly raise premiums based on factors such as pre-existing conditions, age, race and gender.
• - Decrease the amounts that both individuals and government agencies pay for healthcare-related expenses.