Affordable Care Act

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Through a number of provisions—such as individual and employer mandates, health insurance exchanges, and the expansion of Medicaid—the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to expand access to health care for uninsured Americans. RAND has examined implementation challenges, cost and coverage implications, Medicaid expansion, state health insurance exchanges, and reforms to both care delivery and payment.

  • Patient at a medical clinic filling out paperwork, photo by Dimensions/Getty Images

    Report

    How to Prevent Health Insurance Loss During Future Recessions

    Nov 12, 2021

    The pandemic–related recession and job loss raised concerns that millions of Americans would lose their health insurance. But temporary aid to protect coverage prevented that from happening. Making the enhanced marketplace tax credits in the American Rescue Plan permanent could keep coverage stable in future recessions.

  • A woman using an inhaler and holding her chest, photo by PeopleImages/Getty Images

    Commentary

    The Importance of Getting the Affordable Part of the Affordable Care Act Right

    Jun 17, 2022

    The ACA's expansion of Medicaid and the marketplaces that sell subsidized policies have helped decrease the uninsured rate. Research on being underinsured shows that affordability at the point of care is central to keeping people healthy. For example, a new study found a significant relationship between having health insurance and better asthma control.

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