Health Care Reform

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act on March 23, 2010 which put in place comprehensive health insurance reforms designed to initiate those changes over a four year period and beyond, with most changes taking place by 2014. The outline below is just an abbreviated version of some of the health care reform changes that began in 2010

Basic Outline of Reforms:
Started in 2010

NEW CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

• Putting Information for Consumers Online.
• Prohibiting Denying Coverage of Children Based on Pre-Existing Conditions.
• Prohibiting Insurance Companies from Rescinding Coverage.
• Eliminating Lifetime Limits on Insurance Coverage.
• Regulating Annual Limits on Insurance Coverage.
• Appealing Insurance Company Decisions.
• Establishing Consumer Assistance Programs in the States.

IMPROVING QUALITY AND LOWERING COSTS

• Providing Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credits.
• Offering Relief for 4 Million Seniors Who Hit the Medicare Prescription Drug “Donut Hole.”
• Providing Free Preventive Care.
• Preventing Disease and Illness.
• Cracking Down on Health Care Fraud.

INCREASING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CARE

• Providing Access to Insurance for Uninsured Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions.
• Extending Coverage for Young Adults.
• Expanding Coverage for Early Retirees.
• Rebuilding the Primary Care Workforce.
• Holding Insurance Companies Accountable for Unreasonable Rate Hikes.
• Allowing States to Cover More People on Medicaid.
• Increasing Payments for Rural Health Care Providers.
• Strengthening Community Health Centers.

To read the full law and download the PDF file visit: Healthcare.gov.