What is another name for the Affordable Care Act?

Asked by: Jairo Schiller Sr.  |  Last update: October 11, 2025
Score: 5/5 (74 votes)

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – also known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA, and often referred to as Obamacare – is the landmark health reform legislation passed by the 111th Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010.

What is the Affordable Care Act called now?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and informally as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.

What is another name for a policy that existed before the Affordable Care Act?

Grandfathered Plans - Grandfathered plans are health plans that were in place before March 23, 2010, when the Affordable Care Act was signed into law.

Is the Affordable Care Act the same as healthcare gov?

HealthCare.gov is a health insurance exchange website operated by the United States federal government under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), informally referred to as "Obamacare", which currently serves the residents of the U.S. states which have opted not to create their own state exchanges.

What are the titles of the Affordable Care Act?

The law has 2 parts: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. Full Text of the Affordable Care Act and Reconciliation Act (PDF – 2.6 MB) This is not the official version, and we provide it for your convenience.

ACA 101: A Comprehensive Guide to the Affordable Care Act

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What is another name for Affordable Care Act?

Signed into law on March 23rd, 2010, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is also known as healthcare reform. Healthcare reform is not health insurance. Healthcare reform is law that makes changes to the insurance system. These changes help many more people get health coverage.

What is the Affordable Care Act in simple terms?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a comprehensive reform law, enacted in 2010, that increases health insurance coverage for the uninsured and implements reforms to the health insurance market. This includes many provisions that are consistent with AMA policy and holds the potential for a better health care system.

Is the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid the same thing?

While the two share various similarities, they vary greatly in many regards. On a general basis, Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act, aims to provide affordable health coverage to all Americans. On the other hand, Medicaid provides coverage for those in need that cannot afford coverage otherwise.

How do I know if I have Affordable Care Act insurance?

Check for Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Reductions

If you receive automatic financial help to pay for your coverage, you probably have an Obamacare plan. The ACA lets plan members apply for two types of assistance: premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.

Who is not eligible for Obamacare?

Must live in the United States. Must be a U.S. citizen or national (or be lawfully present). Learn about eligible immigration statuses. Cannot be incarcerated in prison or jail.

What causes a health plan to lose grandfathered status?

These plans weren't sold through the Marketplace, but by insurance companies, agents, or brokers. They may not include some rights and protections provided under the Affordable Care Act. Plans may lose “grandfathered” status if they make certain significant changes that reduce benefits or increase costs to consumers.

How did people get health insurance before Obamacare?

Before the ACA, insurance companies used medical underwriting to determine whether to offer a person coverage, at what price, and with what exclusions or limits based on the person's health status; the purpose was to ensure a healthy risk pool by requiring people to pay premiums that reflected their expected medical ...

Can I refuse health insurance from my employer and get Obamacare?

Obamacare is available to everyone, whether or not their employers offer insurance. From a practical standpoint, though, there are financial consequences to doing this. Often, an employer subsidizes part or all of their employees' coverage.

Is the Affordable Care Act the same as Medicare?

Marketplace plans were created by the Affordable Care Act. These plans are private insurance plans that are designed to match certain needs and budgets. Medicare is a health program offered by the government to older adults and people with certain disabilities. You cannot have both Obamacare and Medicare.

What is Obamacare called now?

Affordable Care Act (ACA) The comprehensive health care reform law was enacted in March 2010. A measure of income issued every year by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Can I have both Medicaid and Obamacare?

Keeping both Marketplace and Medicaid and CHIP

If you have qualifying health coverage through Medicaid or CHIP coverage, you'll pay full price for your Marketplace plan premium and covered services.

What are the four types of Medicaid?

There are four types of Medicaid delivery systems:
  • State-operated fee-for-service (FFS)
  • Primary care case management (PCCM)
  • Comprehensive risk-based managed care (MCO model)
  • Limited-benefit plans.

Who is eligible for ACA benefits?

To be eligible to enroll in health coverage through the Marketplace, you must: Live in the United States (U.S). Be a U.S. citizen or national, or be lawfully present non-citizen in the U.S. Learn about eligible immigration statuses. Not be incarcerated.

What happens to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act?

To offset the financial burden of covering more individuals, the Affordable Care Act stipulates that the federal government will cover the full cost of Medicaid expansion for each state, with a stepwise decrease in federal government cost sharing down to 90% in 2020.

How much is Obamacare a month for a single person?

Monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans vary by state and can be reduced by premium tax credits. The average national monthly health insurance cost for one person on an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan without premium tax credits in 2024 is $477.

Does social security count as income for Obamacare?

Include both taxable and non-taxable Social Security income. Enter the full amount before any deductions. Include all unemployment compensation that you get from your state.

What disqualifies you from the premium tax credit?

For tax years other than 2021 and 2022, if your household income on your tax return is more than 400 percent of the federal poverty line for your family size, you are not allowed a premium tax credit and will have to repay all of the advance credit payments made on behalf of you and your tax family members.

How much does ACA insurance cost?

Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans require you to pay a monthly premium, which may be reduced by a premium subsidy — also called a premium tax credit. New legislation means that 4 out of 5 people in the 2025 coverage year will be able to find a plan on the marketplace for $10 or less per month.