18-09-2017, 12:22 PM
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often abbreviated to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or dubbed Obamacare, is a federal statute of the United States promulgated by the 111th Congress of United States and signed by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The term "Obamacare" was first used by opponents, then reappropriated by supporters, and finally used by President Obama himself. Together with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act amendment, it represents the most important regulatory reform of the United States health system and the expansion of coverage since the approval of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.
The main provisions of the ACA came into force in 2014. By 2016, the proportion of the uninsured population had been halved, with estimates ranging from 20 to 24 million additional people covered during 2016. The increased coverage was due approximately, to an expansion of Medicaid eligibility and major changes in individual insurance markets. Both involved new expenses, funded through a combination of new taxes and cuts to the rates of Medicare and Medicare Advantage providers. Several reports from the Congressional Budget Office indicated that these provisions generally reduced the budget deficit and that repeal of the ACA would increase the deficit. The law also promulgated a series of delivery system reforms aimed at limiting the costs of medical care and improving quality. After the law went into effect, increases in overall health spending slowed, including premiums from employer-based insurance plans.