The Act expanded Medicaid eligibility, created health insurance exchanges, and prevents insurance companies from denying coverage (or charging more) due to pre-existing conditions. It also allows children to remain on their parents’ insurance plan until age 26.
Key Takeaways
The Affordable Care Act—also known as Obamacare—was signed into law in March 2010. It was designed to extend health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.
The Act expanded Medicaid eligibility and created a Health Insurance Marketplace. It prevents insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions and requires plans to cover a list of essential health benefits.
Lower-income families can qualify for extra savings on health insurance plans through premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.
Understanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
The Affordable Care Act was designed to reduce the cost of health insurance coverage for people who qualify. The law includes premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions to help lower costs for lower-income individuals and families.
All ACA-compliant health insurance plans—including every plan that’s sold on the Health Insurance Marketplace—must cover specific “essential health benefits” including:
Ambulatory patient services
Breastfeeding
Emergency services
Family planning
Hospitalization
Laboratory services
Mental health and substance use disorder services
Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
Prescription medications
Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
Pediatric services
Rehabilitative and habilitative services
Special Enrollment Periods
You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you’ve had certain life events, including losing health coverage, moving, getting married, having a baby, or adopting a child. Depending on your Special Enrollment Period type, you may have 60 days before or 60 days following the event to enroll in a plan.
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