The American health care system had some serious flaws that the Affordable Care Act Addresses. The Affordable Care Act makes health insurance coverage more secure and reliable for Americans who have it, makes coverage more affordable for families and small business owners, and brings down skyrocketing healthcare costs that have put a strain on individuals, families, employers, and our Federal budget. Below are some of main objectives of the Affordable Care Act. By 2014 provisions will be in place that address each of the following goals. So far each provision has be successful in meeting it's objective:
• Help create State-based health insurance Exchanges that will increase purchasing power, reduce administrative expenses, and increase competition to make premiums more affordable.
• Provide subsidized coverage through health insurance Exchanges to people who cannot afford to purchase insurance on their own.
• Increase the number of young adults under age 26 who are covered as a dependent on their parent’s employer-sponsored insurance policy.
• Expand Medicaid coverage to more low-income Americans.
• Reduce the prescription drug coverage gap (“donut hole”
for those receiving the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit.
• Ensure access to health insurance by prohibiting insurers from placing lifetime limits on medical care, prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and prohibiting discriminatory premium rates based on health status.
• Prohibit insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick.
• Establish the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan Program to provide affordable insurance for Americans who are uninsured, have a pre-existing condition; and have been without coverage for at least six months.
• Work with States to establish a rate review process that identifies and remedies unreasonable rate increases by health insurance plans.
• Operate a fully-accessible health insurance website, HealthCare.gov, that empowers consumers by increasing informed choice and promoting market competition.
• Require insurance companies to spend the majority of health insurance premiums on medical care, not on profits and overhead.
• Require new health plans to implement an appeals process for coverage determination.
• Work with tribes, HHS tribal advisory bodies, and other tribal and urban Indian groups and programs to provide outreach, information, and assistance to assure that AI/ANs, and the entities that serve them, are aware of and able to use the benefits available under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and other Indian-specific and generally applicable provisions of the Affordable Care Act.