KFF May 28, 2024
What Is the Affordable Care Act?
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, marking a significant overhaul of the U.S. health care system. Prior to the ACA, high rates of uninsurance were prevalent due to unaffordability and exclusions based on preexisting conditions. Additionally, some insured people faced extremely high out-of-pocket (OOP) costs and coverage limits. The ACA aimed to address these issues, though it did not eliminate all of them.
The ACA affects virtually all aspects of the health system, including insurers, providers, state governments, employers, taxpayers, and consumers. The law built on the existing health insurance system, making changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and employer-sponsored coverage. A fundamental change was the introduction...
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