Beginning January 1, 2014, tax credits to make it easier for the middle class to afford insurance will become available for people with incomes between 100% and 400% of the poverty line who are not eligible for other affordable coverage. (In 2010, 400% of the poverty...

Insurers will be prohibited from dropping or limiting coverage because an individual chooses to participate in a clinical trial. This applies to all clinical trials that treat cancer or other life-threatening diseases.  Effective January 1, 2014.

The law prohibits new plans and existing group plans from imposing annual dollar limits on the amount of coverage an individual may receive.  This will be effective January 1, 2014.

Beginning January 1, 2014, the law will implement strong reforms that prohibit insurance companies from refusing to sell coverage or renew policies because of an individual's pre-existing condition. Also, in the individual and small group market, the law eliminates...

The Affordable Care Act establishes a national pilot program to encourage hospitals, doctors, and other providers to work together to improve the coordination and quality of patient care. Under payment "bundling", hospitals, doctors, and providers are paid a flat rate...

As Medicaid programs and providers prepare to cover more patients in 2014, the Act requires states to pay primary care physicians no less than 100% of Medicare payment rates in 2013 and 2014 for primary care services. The increase is fully funded by the federal...

To expand the number of Americans receiving preventive care, the Affordable Care Act provides new funding to state Medicaid programs that choose to cover preventive services for patients at little or no cost.  This will become effective January 1, 2013.

The new law provides incentives for physicians to join together to form "Accountable Care Organizations". These groups allow doctors to better coordinate patient care and improve the quality, help prevent disease and illness, and reduce unnecessary hospital...

Heath care remains one of the few industries that relies on paper records. The new law will institute a series of changes to standardize billing and requires health plans to begin adopting an implementing rules for secure, confidential, electronic exchange of health...

The law establishes a hospital Value-Based Purchasing program in Traditional Medicare. This program offers financial incentives to hospitals to improve the quality of care.  Hospital performance is required to be publicly reported, beginning with measures relating to...

Today, Medicare pays Medicare Advantage insurance companies over $1,000 more per person on average than is spent per person in Traditional Medicare. This results in increased premiums for all Medicare beneficiaries who are not currently enrolled in a Medicare...

To ensure premium dollars are spent primarily on health care, the Affordable Care Act generally requires that at lest 85% of all premium dollars collected by insurance companies for larger employer plans are spent on health care services and health care quality...

The Community First Choice Option allows states to offer home and community based services to disabled individuals through Medicaid rather than institutional care in nursing homes.  Effective beginning October 1, 2011.    

The Independent Advisory Board will begin operations to develop and submit proposals to Congress and the President aimed at extending the life of the Medicare Trust Fund.  The Board is expected to focus on ways to reduce costs, improve health outcomes for patients,...

Effective January 1, 2011, the Community Care Transitions Program will help high risk Medicare beneficiaries who are hospitalized, avoid unnecessary readmissions by coordinating care and connecting patients to services in their communities.

The law establishes a new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation that will begin testing new ways of delivering care to patients.  These methods are expected to improve the quality of care, and reduce the rate of  growth in health care costs for Medicare,...

The Affordable Care Act provides certain free preventive services such as annual wellness visits and personalized prevention plans for seniors on Medicare.  This became effective on January 1, 2011.

Effective January 1, 2011, seniors who reach the coverage gap will receive a 50% discount when buying Medicare part D covered brand-name prescription drugs. Over the next ten years, seniors will receive additional savings on brand-name and generic drugs until the...

Courtney Smith, Access Coordinator for Children's Health Insurance Connection was chosen as one of the Post Star's 20 Under 40.  To read more about it, click here.

Beginning in 2010, the Affordable Care Act includes new funding to support the construction of and expand services at community health centers, allowing these centers to serve some 20 million new patients across the country.

Beginning April 1, 2010, states will be able to receive matching federal  funds for covering some additional low-income individuals and families under Medicaid for whom federal funds were not previously available. If the state chooses to do so, this will make it...

The Affordable Care Act allows states that have, or plan to implement, measures that require insurance companies to justify their premium increases will be eligible for $250 million in new grants. Insurance companies with excessive or unjustified premium exchanges may...

To strengthen the availability of primary care, there are new incentives in the law to expand the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and physician assistants.  These include funding for scholarships and loan repayments for primary care doctors and nurses working...

Too often, Americans who retire without employer-sponsored insurance before they are eligible for Medicare, see their life savings disappear because of high rates in the individual market. Through the new Health Insurance Exchanges,  employers can preserve coverage...

Under the law, young adults will be allowed to stay on their parents' plan until they turn 26 years old (this right does not apply if the young adult is offered insurance at work).  The young adult can be married and still be eligible for their parents' health...

Effective July 1, 2010, a Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is available and provides new coverage options to individuals who have been uninsured for at least six months. States have the option of running this program in their state. If a state chooses not to do...

Effective September 23, 2010, all new insurance plans must cover certain preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies without charging a deductible, co-pay or coinsurance.

An estimated four million seniors will reach the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage known as the "donut hole" this year.  Each eligible senior will receive a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate check.  The first checks were mailed in June of 2010.

The Affordable Care Act provides up to 4 million small businesses tax credits to help the provide insurance benefits to their workers. The first phase of this provision provides a credit worth up to 35% of the employer's contribution to the employee's health...

Under the Affordable Care Act, states that apply, receive federal grants to help set up or expand independent offices to help consumers navigate the private and public health insurance system.  These programs also help consumers with medical bills, finding...