The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in 2010 under President Barack Obama, is a comprehensive health reform act principally focused on expanding access to health insurance to achieve nearly universal coverage for all Americans. Key objectives include prioritization of prevention and wellness, improvement in health care quality and efficiency, and curbing steeply rising costs of quality health care. Over the years, the ACA faced constitutionality challenges and repeal efforts, but as of 2022, remains in effect with only minor changes. The Biden administration has expressed a commitment to bolstering and strengthening the ACA, and in 2021, President Biden signed an executive order re-opening enrollment under federal ACA insurance exchanges. Additionally, as part of the administration’s COVID-19 response, subsidies for premiums under the ACA have been increased and extended, and proposals have been made to extend tax credits and the cap of coverage costs (currently, 10% of a covered individual’s income) to cover spouses and children of those purchasing insurance on ACA exchanges.
This chapter analyzes the ACA as it is currently in effect.
The ACA sets minimum federal standards for health insurance...
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