Question

Identify the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act that will have an impact on individuals and families.

Answer 1

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ensures the access to quality, affordable health care to all and create the transformation within the health care system necessary to contain costs. It is designed to increase number of insured Americans, make healthcare & health insurance affordable & improve performance of healthcare system in US.

Provisions of affordable care act:

1) Universal & continues access to health insurance: This act wants to accomplish the goal of universal & continues access to healthcare & health insurance service to maximum US citizens. Here there are two provisions

a) Insurance exchanges: The act wants to create online market place or health insurance exchanges which will be helpful in reducing the prices of insurance plan & increasing competition among service providers.

b) Expansion of coverage: The act wants to expand Medicaid coverage so that maximum services like pediatric & dental care are also included in the plan.

2) Health insurance affordability: The law has specific subsidies for health insurance through tax credits for lower income groups.

3) Hold insurance companies accountable (program integrity): The act includes numerous provisions to terminate Medicaid that have been terminated in other programs. Suspending payments for pending investigations or credible allegations of fraud & preventing inappropriate claims.

4) Provider payments: States will receive 100% federal matching funds for the increase in payments.

5) Children health insurance program: The act has provisions to extend funding for Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Above provisions of this act will have an impact on individuals and families lives in a positive & effective manner.