Read the Actual Law The Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and then signed into law by the President on March 23, 2010.On June 28, 2012 the Supreme Court rendered a final decision to uphold the health care law. Below you will find all 10 Titles of the Affordable Care Act, with amendments to the law called for by the reconciliation process. Click on each Title to see a brief outline and then read the law section by section. Title I. Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans This Act puts individuals, families and small business owners in control of their health care. Americans without insurance coverage will be able to choose the insurance coverage that works best for them in a new open, competitive insurance market – the same insurance market that every member of Congress will be required to use for their insurance. It keeps insurance companies honest by setting clear rules that rein in the worst insurance industry abuses. Sec. 1001. Sec. 1002. Sec. 1003. Sec. 1004. Sec. 1101. Sec. 1102.
How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Vermont Because of the Affordable Care Act, the 92% of Vermonters who have insurance have more choices and stronger coverage than ever before. And for the 8% of Vermonters who don’t have insurance, or Vermont families and small businesses who buy their coverage but aren’t happy with it, a new day is just around the corner. Soon, the new online Health Insurance Marketplace will provide families and small businesses who currently don’t have insurance, or are looking for a better deal, a new way to find health coverage that fits their needs and their budgets. Open enrollment in the Marketplace starts Oct 1, with coverage starting as soon as Jan 1, 2014. But Vermont families and small business can visit HealthCare.gov right now to find the information they need prepare for open enrollment. The health care law is already providing better options, better value, better health and a stronger Medicare program to the people of Vermont by: Better Options The Health Insurance Marketplace Better Value
America's Health Insurance Plans - Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will expand access to coverage and take steps toward delivery system reform, but will raise costs and disrupt coverage for individual market customers, employers, and seniors. Tens of millions of Americans will gain access to health insurance, a goal that health plans have long supported. The ACA also includes a number of important consumer protections that many health plans implemented before they were required by law, such as the provision allowing young adults up to the age of 26 to stay on their parents’ policies. The new law takes a number of preliminary, but promising, steps toward reforming the delivery system to improve patient safety and quality in Medicare and Medicaid. The ACA also includes major provisions that will raise costs and disrupt the coverage on which millions of people rely today. To learn more about specific ACA provisions, please click on the links below: 1/1/14 Provisions Accountable Care Organizations Age Rating Essential Benefits
White House Extends Insurance Enrollment Deadline for Second Time Karen Pallarito HealthDay Reporter Posted: Thursday, December 26, 2013, 7:00 AM TUESDAY, Dec. 24, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- The Obama Administration on Tuesday once again extended the deadline for people to register for health insurance coverage on Healthcare.gov. The new extension follows a 24-hour "grace period" that was granted on Monday -- beyond the original deadline of Monday 11:59 pm --for benefits that would kick in on Jan. 1. In an blog Tuesday on the HealthCare.gov website, the Obama Administration said that people who could prove that trouble on the Healthcare.gov website had hindered them from signing up would be granted an extension. "Even though we have passed the Dec. 23 enrollment deadline for coverage starting Jan. 1, we don't want you to miss out if you've been trying to enroll," the administration said in the blog. The blog advised visitors: "Contact the Marketplace call center at 1-800-318-2596 (available 24/7; closed December 25). Can I enroll after Jan. 1?
Awesome Health Reform Videos These videos provide a clear discussion of specific provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Health Reform), and how they affect you. The Basics of Health Reform (And Why It Matters) Find out how Health Reform affects you as an employer, consumer or someone who pays for health services. View video Administrative Simplification and the Affordable Care Act Paying for a doctor visit or seeing a specialist often involves complex paperwork. Adult Child Coverage Appeals Under the Affordable Care Act If your health plan denies payment for a treatment that you believe should be covered, you have the right to challenge that decision and appeal it. FSA, HSA, HRA Changes Learn about changes to these health spending accounts, particularly over-the-counter medications, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Grandfathered Plans Some provisions of the health reform law may not apply to grandfathered plans. Is Grandfathered Status Right for Your Health Plan? W-2 Reporting
Coming soon: more ways to get to know your doctor This week, the federal government is planning to release a massive database capable of providing patients with much more information about their doctors. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the government agency that runs Medicare, plans to post on its website detailed information about how many visits and procedures individual health professionals billed the program for in 2012, and how much they were paid. This new trove of data, which covers 880,000 health professionals, adds to a growing body of information available to patients who don't want to leave picking a doctor to chance. But to put that information to good use, consumers need to be aware of what is available, what's missing and how to interpret it. So, what's out there? As it stands, patients can go to websites such as Yelp or Healthgrades to read reviews of their doctors submitted by other patients. It's important to remember, though, that data can sometimes be misleading. These new tools all have limits.
10 Questions Every Small Business Owner Should Ask about Health Care Reform - 2014 Small businesses (employers with fewer than 50 employees) are largely unaffected by the Affordable Care Act (aka Health Care Reform or "ObamaCare"). In this article, we will answer the 10 most frequently asked questions (FAQs) from small businesses about health care reform. 1. Am I required to offer health insurance? No. 2. No. See this FAQ: Does My Small Business Have to Provide Health Insurance? 3. Yes. Most employees will be eligible for health insurance tax subsidies. Download this PDF Guide for an overview of the Health Insurance Tax Subsidies 4. Here's the calculation to determine how many FTE employees you have. A full-time employee is defined as working on average at least 30 hours of service per week in a given month. 5. Small business owners with more than 50 employees that do not provide qualified health insurance are required to pay a tax penalty, if/when employees buy individual insurance and receive a government subsidy. 6. 7. 8. 9. Yes. 10. Yes.