Obama Healthcare
The Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act, often called Affordable Care
Act (ACA) or Obamacare, is a United States federal
statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed
into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.
The term
"Obamacare" was first used by opponents, then re-appropriated by
supporters, and eventually used by President Obama himself. Together with
the Health
Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 amendment, the U.S. healthcare system's most
significant regulatory overhaul and expansion of coverage since the passage
of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.
The ACA's major
provisions came into force in 2014. By 2016, the uninsured share of the
population had roughly halved, with estimates ranging from 20–24 million
additional people covered during 2016. The increased coverage was due,
roughly equally, to an expansion of Medicaid eligibility and to major changes
to individual insurance markets.
Both involved new spending, funded through a combination of new taxes and cuts
to Medicare provider rates and Medicare Advantage.
Trump Healthcare – American Health Care
The American
Health Care Act of 2017 is a United States Congress bill to
partially repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (ACA), also known as
Obamacare. Rejected Senate amendments would have renamed it
the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, Obamacare Repeal
Reconciliation Act of 2017, or Health Care Freedom Act of 2017. Below is the comparison between ACA, AHA acts.
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Comparison Point
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Affordable Care Act (ACA)
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American Healthcare Act (House bill)
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Better Care Reconciliation Act (Senate
bill)
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Employer Mandate
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Businesses with 50+ full time (or part time
equivalent) employees must provide health insurance or pay a penalty.
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Penalty eliminated
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Penalty eliminated.
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Pre-existing Conditions
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Insurance companies cannot deny coverage or
charge more based on pre-existing conditions.
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States can set their own policies on
pre-existing conditions via waiver application.
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Insurance companies cannot deny coverage or
charge more for pre-existing conditions but can waive ‘essential health
benefits’.
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Women’s Health
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Women’s health coverage must be included in
ACA-compliant plans.
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States can remove women’s health benefits,
such as maternity care, by applying for a waiver.
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States can remove women’s health benefits,
such as maternity care, by applying for a waiver.
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Affordability Of Care
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Elderly cannot be charged more than 3x a
young person’s premium.
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Elderly can be charged up to 5x a young
person’s premium.
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Elderly can be charged up to 5x a young
person’s premium.
|
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Medicaid
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30+ states expanded coverage with federal
support.
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Federal expansion support removed by 2020;
annual caps on funding available to each state.
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Federal expansion support removed by 2021.
Medicaid in some states would phase out sooner. Annual caps on funding
available to each state
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Health Savings Accounts
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Limits annual contributions to $3,400 for
individuals and $6,750 for families.
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Increases cap on contributions to $6,650 for
individuals and $13,300 for families.
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Increases cap on contributions to $6,650 for
individuals and $13,300 for families.
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Small Business Association Health Plans
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Requires association health plans to provide
essential health benefits
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Requires association health plans to provide
essential health benefits
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Allows association health plans to offer
fewer benefits
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Insurance Marketplaces
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Created federal and state insurance online
marketplaces where people can compare and shop for insurance plans
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Unclear on the future of the insurance
marketplaces.
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Individual health insurance market would
continue; Funds allocated through 2019 to stabilize insurance market.
|
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Business Tax Impact
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Created a small business tax credit.
Increased taxes on insurance companies, medical device makers, and wealthy Americans. |
Eliminates small business tax credit
starting in 2020.
Repeals taxes on insurance companies, medical device makers, and wealthy Americans. |
Eliminates small business tax credit
starting in 2020.
Repeals taxes on insurance companies, medical device makers, and wealthy Americans. |
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