HCS 455

Key Components of Affordable Care Act
HCS/455
Key Components of Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into federal law in March 2010 and was drafted by the Obama Administration. ACA is often referred to as “Obamacare” and one of the major objectives of the Affordable Care Act is to provide Americans with health care insurance. There are many types of individuals that will be seeking coverage through Obamacare. There are many types of benefits and drawbacks to any new health care policy and ACA has many of both. The Affordable Care Act has made a substantial impact on Medicaid and Medicare programs and well as health care in general. All of these will be discusses in this paper.
Who Will Use the ACA?
With private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance through employers there are many Americans still left without healthcare coverage. Many of these people were younger adults that could not afford health care coverage after being dropped from their parents health insurance after age 19. the ACA is expected to provide financing to increase the proportion of legal, nonelderly residents with insurance from about 83 percent to about 94 percent, resulting in a reduction of 32 million nonelderly individuals without insurance by 2019 (Shi, 2014).
Young adults without health care coverage are faced with outrageous bills when facing emergency medical treatments. Under the Affordable Care Act, young adults ages 19-25 are able to retain health insurance under their parent’s private plan. This does not apply to those who work offers health coverage. The ACA benefits those who cannot afford health insurance and those who have pre-existing conditions the most.
Benefits and Drawbacks of ACA
There are many benefits to the ACA such as free preventative care, prescription discounts for seniors, protection against health care fraud, small business tax credits, welcoming pre-existing conditions, expanding coverage up to age 26, and...