Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act is working.  It is giving millions of middle class Americans the health care security they deserve, it is slowing the growth of health care costs, and it has brought transparency and competition to the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Affordable Care Act Higlights:

• Decline in the uninsured:  After five years of the Affordable Care Act, more than 16 million Americans have gained coverage and the nation’s uninsured rate now stands at its lowest level ever – at 11.9 percent.
• Historically slow growth in health care prices:  Health care prices are rising at a slower pace than at any time in the past 50 years.
• No more discrimination against pre-existing conditions:  Up to 129 million Americans who could have otherwise been denied coverage or charged higher premiums now have access to affordable coverage.
• Marketplace enrollment is strong:  As of March 31, 10.2 million people were enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan for 2015 coverage.
• Coverage is affordable:  About 85 percent of people who enrolled in the Marketplace in 2015 are getting tax credits to make the coverage more affordable.  Among consumers who selected plans in the 37 HealthCare.gov states, 8 in 10 could choose a plan with a premium of $100 or less after tax credits. 
• Young adults getting covered:  5.7 million young adults ages 19-25 have gained coverage since 2010, improving access to care and benefiting our economy.  These gains have cut the uninsured rate among young adults in this age group by more than 40 percent.
• Medicaid expansion:  Over 12.2 million additional Americans were covered under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in March 2015 compared to before the ACA open enrollment started.
• Quality of health care is improving:  As estimated 50,000 fewer patients died in hospitals and approximately $12 billion in health care costs were saved as a result of a reduction in hospital-acquired conditions from 2010 to 2013.

Additional Resources:

• 11 Important Facts about the Affordable Care Act (fact sheet, 11/14/14)
• Affordable Care Act By the Numbers (September 29, 2015 fact sheet)
• Affordable Care Act benefits by state (interactive map)
• Health Insurance Marketplace (healthcare.gov)