The White House has released information from a report that shows that the Affordable Care Act has improved the health care system for millions of Americans. The release of this information is timely, considering that the Supreme Court is hearing arguments about the Affordable Care Act this week.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) recently had its second anniversary. The White House has a blog on the official White House website that highlights some of the ways that the ACA has given Americans more security, and better health care benefits.
It includes a quote from President Obama. He said:
“Today, two years after we passed health care reform, more young adults have insurance, more seniors are saving money on their prescription drugs, and more Americans can rest easy knowing they won’t be dropped from their insurance plans if they get sick.” He went on to say: “The law has made a difference for millions of Americans, and over time, it will help give even more working and middle-class families the security they deserve”.
Here are just a few of the ways that the Affordable Care Act has helped Americans:
It is now illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to kids because of a pre-existing condition. In 2014, it will be illegal for insurers to discriminate against anyone with a pre-existing condition, no matter what the age of the person happens to be.
The medical loss ratio, which is part of the ACA, requires insurance companies to spend at least 80% of the money they get from customers for premiums on health care. They cannot spend it on overhead costs, or administrative costs, advertising, or employee salaries.
Insurers can no longer raise their customer’s premiums by 10% or more without being held accountable for it.
There are 2.5 million more young adults who have health insurance coverage, thanks to the protections in the ACA. The young adults can stay covered under their parent’s plans until they reach age 26.
There are 5.1 million people with Medicare that saved an average of $635 on the cost of their prescription medications. Everyone who uses Medicare can get preventative services, (such as mammograms) for free.
The report also included personal stories from Americans who would have been completely unable to afford the health care that they needed if it were not for the Affordable Care Act. There are stories from Americans who could not find affordable health insurance before the ACA, but have now found that important coverage.
For more details, you can read the entire report. You can also find out about how the Affordable Care Act has affected the state where you live, if you would like to.
Image by Tom Lohdan on Flickr