What is the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?
The Affordable Care Act or ACA, and also referred to as Obamacare - is the groundbreaking health insurance reform legislation passed by the 111th Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010.
This legislation included a very long list of health insurance related provisions for American citizens. Major provisions of the act were to extend coverage to millions of uninsured and under-insured Americans, to lower the cost of healthcare and improve the efficiency of the American healthcare system, while also eliminating previous industry practices such as denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
What Does the ACA Do for Me?
The Affordable Care Act:
Prevents insurers from discriminating against applicants, or charging them higher plan premiums, based on pre-existing conditions or gender
Eliminates waiting periods that employer-sponsored plans used to impose before starting coverage of pre-existing conditions
Makes health coverage a guarantee to applicants regardless of their health status, age, or income
Mandates minimum-value standards for employer-sponsored plans offered by large employers (50+ full-time employees)
Prevents lifetime/annual benefit limits for ACA-compliant plans
Improves plan benefits by required ACA-compliant plans to include essential health benefits - such as hospital/emergency services, ambulatory services, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, RX drug coverage, lab work, and preventive care services
Provides premium subsidies and cost-sharing subsidies designed to reduce the cost of coverage for Americans who qualify
Applicants can use Obamacare’s health insurance marketplaces and plan providers such as Insure Choice to easily compare the benefits and costs of ACA-compliant health plans. Consumers looking for an ACA health insurance plan can apply either online or over the phone.
If you’re interested in exploring your ACA options, just click on the FIND A PLAN button to either apply online or speak to a licensed insurance agent about your plan and benefit options.