The “Affordable Care Act” (ACA) is the name for the comprehensive health care reform law (passed in 2010) and its amendments. The law addresses health insurance coverage, health care costs, and preventive care. The law was enacted in two parts:
- The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010
- The ACA was amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act on March 30, 2010.
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a service run by the federal government that helps people, families, and small businesses;
- Compare health insurance plans for coverage and affordability.
- Enroll in or change a health insurance plan.
- Find out about tax credits for private insurance or health programs like Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- Get answers to questions about health care insurance.
How does the ACA make individual health insurance more affordable? –
- The law includes premium subsidies and cost-sharing subsidies designed to reduce the costs of coverage and care for eligible applicants.
- Premium subsidies have been enhanced through 2025 under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, making them more robust than they were under the original ACA rules.
- Millions have also gained coverage due to the ACA’s expansion of Medicaid, which has been adopted by all but ten states as of 2024.
When can people enroll in ACA-compliant health plans?
- Millions of people enroll in ACA-compliant health plans during an annual open enrollment period (OEP) that runs from November 1 through January 15 in most states (some states have different schedules). People can also enroll outside of the OEP if they have a qualifying life event that makes them eligible for a special enrollment period.