The four principal changes that went into effect as of January 1, 2014, are described in this brief opinion piece published online first in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. These four changes include:
- Individuals can no longer be denied the ability to buy health insurance based on preexisting medical conditions.
- Individuals who can afford it must either buy health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
- Low income individuals receive support in the form of federal tax credits to help buy insurance.
- Medicaid has been expanded in half of the states in the union — the other half have not implemented this option.
Source: McDonough, J.E., and Adashi, E.Y. Realizing the promise of the Affordable Care Act: January 1, 2014. JAMA, Jan. 2, 2014. Click here for full text: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/JAMA/0/jvp130192.pdf Posted by AHA Resource Center (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org
Filed under: Health reform, Insurance, Medicaid, Posted by Kim Garber, Uninsured | Tagged: ACA, Affordable Care Act, health care reform |
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