What was a controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act individual mandate?

Asked by: Horacio Wilderman  |  Last update: April 30, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (16 votes)

Individual mandate. The most legally and politically controversial aspect of the ACA, the individual mandate requires Americans to purchase health insurance or face a government penalty, with some exceptions—particularly for low-income individuals who cannot afford to buy insurance [3].

Why was the individual mandate controversial when the ACA was passed?

Even before the ACA became law, opponents argued that Congress did not have the constitutional authority to require Americans to purchase health insurance and there was no federal precedent for requiring the purchase of a product in the private market.

What is one provision of the Affordable Care Act is an individual mandate?

One provision contained in the law is known as the “individual mandate” which requires that all Americans (regardless of age) be covered by health insurance (through a group or individual plan) or pay an annual financial penalty assessed by the Internal Revenue Service, unless waived under certain limited circumstances ...

Which of the following was the most controversial element of the Affordable Care Act?

The most controversial element of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is widely considered to be the individual mandate, which required all individuals who do not receive health insurance through their employer or a government program to have health insurance or face a penalty.

What is the most controversial provision in the Affordable Care Act that has led to Supreme Court challenges?

The heart of the ACA — and its most controversial provision — is the individual mandate. This provision requires individuals to obtain health insurance or pay the aforementioned penalty. The government advanced two primary theories supporting the individual mandate's constitutionality.

Here's Why the Affordable Care Act Is So Controversial | History

40 related questions found

What is a controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act?

Individual mandate. The most legally and politically controversial aspect of the ACA, the individual mandate requires Americans to purchase health insurance or face a government penalty, with some exceptions—particularly for low-income individuals who cannot afford to buy insurance [3].

Did the Supreme Court strike down the individual mandate?

The Supreme Court, in an opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, upheld by a vote of 5–4 the individual mandate to buy health insurance as a constitutional exercise of Congress's power under the Taxing and Spending Clause (taxing power).

What is the biggest problem with the Affordable Care Act?

Impact on Individual Insurance

It was also known that consumers would face a very different health insurance world under the ACA, with some people seeing their premiums go down and some seeing them go up, and the majority of Americans seeing higher deductibles, higher copays, and a smaller pool of providers.

Is the individual mandate still in effect?

In 2017, Congress repealed the individual mandate penalties on the federal level, which went into effect in 2019. This effectively repealed the mandate, as there are no longer consequences for not having health coverage. However, the ACA's employer mandate is still in effect.

Which problem was the Affordable Care Act designed to address quizlet?

Final answer:

The Affordable Care Act was designed to decrease the number of Americans without health insurance, lower the costs of healthcare, and make access to healthcare more equitable.

What are 3 provisions of the Affordable Care Act?

Affordable Care Act (ACA)
  • Make affordable health insurance available to more people. ...
  • Expand Medicaid to cover all adults with income below 138% of the FPL. ...
  • Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.

What is the individual shared responsibility provision?

What is the individual shared responsibility provision? Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government, state governments, insurers, employers and individuals are given shared responsibility to reform and improve the availability, quality and affordability of health insurance coverage in the United States.

What is the individual mandate provision of the ACA required quizlet?

Under the Affordable Care Act, the individual mandate requires all Americans to purchase health insurance. The individual mandate was a key provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which aimed to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and reduce the overall cost of healthcare.

What is the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act?

The individual mandate is a provision within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that required individuals to purchase minimum essential coverage – or face a tax penalty – unless they were eligible for an exemption.

Is the individual mandate good or bad?

The individual mandate is a bad idea

“The point of the individual mandate is to balance the risk pool, but that's not really what insurance is supposed to do. With car insurance, the idea is not that you want good drivers to pay for accidents caused by bad drivers.

What were the most significant changes made by the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress in 2010?

It did so by expanding Medicaid to people with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (the poverty level in the continental U.S. is $15,060 for a single individual in 2024); creating new health insurance exchange markets through which individuals can purchase coverage and receive financial help to afford ...

Did Obamacare repeal the individual mandate?

The tax legislation enacted in December 2017 repealed the tax penalty associated with the individual mandate—the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement that people who do not qualify for an exemption obtain health insurance coverage—effectively repealing the mandate itself.

Which statement would most likely be made by a supporter of the Affordable Care Act brainly?

The correct statement that would most likely be made by a supporter of the Affordable Care Act is: D. It is a central responsibility of government to help citizens access health care. The ACA, or Obamacare, aims to reduce health insurance costs and increase coverage accessibility in the United States.

Is it legal to self pay when you have insurance?

Now that you know that it is legal to self-pay when you have insurance, here are a few situations where it may make sense to directly pay for the medical procedure or service without filing a claim with your provider.

What was one of the more controversial provisions of the Affordable Care Act?

Despite the popularity of the ACA's protections for people with pre-existing conditions, the individual mandate was politically controversial and consistently viewed negatively by a substantial share of the public.

Who benefits most from the Affordable Care Act?

The biggest winners from the law include people between the ages of 18 and 34; blacks; Hispanics; and people who live in rural areas.

How might the PPA go against the US values of individualism and personal responsibility?

The PPACA, or Obamacare, potentially conflicts with US values of individualism and personal responsibility by involving government intervention in health insurance mandates and promoting collective responsibility for healthcare through increased taxation and preventative health measures.

How is the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional?

United States Department of Health and Human Services declared the law unconstitutional in an action brought by 26 states, on the grounds that the individual mandate to purchase insurance exceeds the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce.

How many times has the Affordable Care Act been challenged?

Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, more than 2,000 legal challenges have been filed in state and federal courts contesting part or all of the ACA.

Which is the largest public health insurance program in the United States?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the single largest payer for health care in the United States. Nearly 90 million Americans rely on health care benefits through Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).