Obama cares postcard

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)[1][2] is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law (along with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010) is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress. PPACA requires individuals not covered by employer- or government-sponsored insurance plans to maintain minimal essential health insurance coverage or pay a penalty unless exempted for religious beliefs or financial hardship, a provision commonly referred to as the "individual mandate". The Act also reforms certain aspects of the private health insurance industry and public health insurance programs, increases insurance coverage of pre-existing conditions, expands access to insurance to 30 million Americans,[3][4] and increases projected national medical spending[5][6] while lowering projected Medicare spending.[7] PPACA passed the Senate on December 24, 2009, by a vote of 60–39 with all Democrats and two Independents voting for, and all Republicans voting against.[8] It passed the House of Representatives on March 21, 2010, by a vote of 219–212, with 34 Democrats and all 178 Republicans voting against the bill.[9] PPACA includes numerous provisions to take effect over several years beginning in 2010. Policies issued before the law was promulgated are grandfathered from most federal regulations. Guaranteed issue and partial community rating will require insurers to offer the same premium to all applicants of the same age and geographical location without regard to most pre-existing conditions (excluding tobacco use).[17] A shared responsibility requirement, commonly called an individual mandate,[18] requires that all persons not covered by an employer sponsored health plan, Medicaid, Medicare, or other public insurance programs purchase and comply with an approved private insurance policy or pay a penalty, unless the applicable individual is a member of a recognized religious sect exempted by the Internal Revenue Service, or waived in cases of financial hardship.[19] Medicaid eligibility is expanded to include all individuals and families with incomes up to 133% of the poverty level along with a simplified CHIP enrollment process.[20][21] Health insurance exchanges will commence operation in each state, offering a marketplace where individuals and small businesses can compare policies and premiums, and buy insurance (with a government subsidy if eligible).[22] Low income persons and families above the Medicaid level and up to 400% of the federal poverty level will receive federal subsidies[23] on a sliding scale if they choose to purchase insurance via an exchange (persons at 150% of the poverty level would be subsidized such that their premium cost would be of 2% of income or $50 a month for a family of 4).[24] Minimum standards for health insurance policies are to be established and annual and lifetime coverage caps will be banned.[25] Firms employing 50 or more people but not offering health insurance will also pay a shared responsibility requirement if the government has had to subsidize an employee's health care.[26] Very small businesses will be able to get subsidies if they purchase insurance through an exchange.[27] Co-payments, co-insurance, and deductibles are to be eliminated for select health care insurance benefits considered to be part of an "essential benefits package"[28] for Level A or Level B preventive care.[29] Changes are enacted that allow a restructuring of Medicare reimbursement from "fee-for-service" to "bundled payments."[30][31] Additional support is provided for medical research and the National Institutes of Health. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act