St James AME Church, Elgin, Illinois

 

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is a law passed by Congress in 2010 and upheld as Constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 2012. The ACA was designed to expand medical insurance coverage to Americans that did not already have it by offering affordable and competitive rates through a newly created Health Insurance Marketplace and providing subsidies to individuals who purchase coverage. The law also expands Medicaid eligibility to individuals in states that choose to accept the expansion. The main aspect of the ACA is the mandate that insurance companies accept all applications, regardless of any pre-existing condition an individual may have. The law also forbids insurers from dropping individuals when they become sick and prevents companies from placing annual or lifetime limits on coverage. Another important aspect of the ACA is the provisions guaranteeing greater equality for women. The law mandates that all insurers, with the exception of religious institutions, provide contraceptive coverage for any women that desire it. Most importantly, the ACA mandates insurance companies to spend 80-85% of premium dollars on total health costs and forces these companies to issue rebates to their policy holders if they don't comply. Patients also have a right to appeal any denial of service by an insurance company. If you would like more information on the Affordable Care Act or if you would like assistance in registering through the Healthcare Insurance Marketplace, please see Dr. Wes Scott

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