Affordable Care Act

The health care overhaul law passed by Congress in 2010 sets out national goals and requirements. But many of the key decisions implementing the law are left to the states. For example, states have a lot of leeway in how they set up health insurance exchanges, where uninsured individuals and small business will be able […]

The constitutional challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act finally come to a head the week of March 26. Thus far, there is no consensus on how the justices will rule. Will they strike down the individual mandate and leave the rest of the law intact? Will they alter or strike the Medicaid […]

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), insurance plans offered through state insurance exchanges – as well as non-grandfathered plans offered in the individual and small group markets – will be required to cover a set of health benefits and services called the “essential health benefits” package. Guidance issued last month by the […]

The Budget Control Act of 2011 tasked six senators and six representatives, from both sides of the aisle, to find at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade. After weeks of deliberation, members of the “Super Committee” did not reach an agreement by the November 23 deadline. As a result, automatic spending […]

According to figures released last month by the U.S. Census Bureau, some 50 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2010. That number is almost a million higher than for 2009, though the percentage of people uninsured remained largely unchanged. Employer sponsored insurance continued to decline in 2010. At the same time,  one million young adults […]

The ongoing debate over the federal budget and deficit reduction presents a balancing act for policy makers, as many compelling interests compete for scarce dollars. But for 10 million older adults and people with disabilities who need long-term services and supports, there is a “rebalancing act” in progress. The aim is to serve more people […]

The high and rising cost of health care is a central concern for governments at all levels, employers and families. A large portion of the cost problem can be traced to the care received by persons with chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes. Treating those with multiple chronic conditions, including the elderly and disabled populations, […]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) authorized the creation of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMMI seeks to test innovative health care payment and service delivery models that can potentially enhance quality of care for beneficiaries while reducing costs. From 2011 to […]

When fully implemented, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will increase the number of insured Americans through two primary strategies – expanding Medicaid and providing insurance through state-based insurance exchanges. As an individual’s household income exceeds the maximum for Medicaid eligibility, he or she will be eligible for subsidies to buy coverage through an […]

In addition to expanding coverage to 32 million previously uninsured Americans, the health reform law of 2010 aims to improve the health of the population and the quality of health care delivery, while reducing costs. One tool to pursue these goals is the creation of a national voluntary program for accountable care organizations (ACOs). The […]

Although the rise in unemployment in this recession has resulted in lost health insurance coverage for many adults, a record 90 percent of children now have coverage – one-third of whom are covered by public programs, Medicaid and CHIP. About 7.5 million children remain uninsured, including 5 million who are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP […]

Understanding how Medicare works is essential to understanding federal health policy. Medicare is the federally administered health insurance program for individuals ages 65 and older and for younger people with permanent disabilities. In 2010, the program covered an estimated 47 million people. It comprised an estimated 15 percent of the federal budget and over one-fifth […]