Rolling Out the New Health Care Law
Key Dates for the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act"
President Obama signed the health care bill into law on March 23, 2010. But the law will take several years to implement, with the major parts rolling out in 2014. Here are some key measures and how they might affect you:
| Who it Affects | What it Does | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone | Insurers prohibited from canceling coverage when an enrollee gets sick | September 23, 2010 |
| Insurers prohibited from putting lifetime caps on benefits | September 23, 2010 | |
| Citizens and legal residents must have insurance | 2014 | |
| Penalties for those without coverage phases in | 2014 | |
| Those with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for Medicaid | 2014 | |
| Young Adults / Children | Young adults can stay on parents' insurance until age 26 | September 23, 2010 |
| Insurers can no longer deny coverage to children with preexisting conditions | September 23, 2010 | |
| Seniors | Rebates to seniors who have hit the "donut hole" in Medicare prescription drug coverage. | June 10, 2010 |
| Patients in "donut hole" get half off on brand-name drugs. More discounts phase in. | 2011 | |
| "Donut hole" effectively closed | 2020 | |
| The Sick | High-risk pool covers patients with pre-existing medical conditions | June 21, 2010 |
| Those Without Insurance | States must establish "exchanges" to offer health plans | 2014 |
| Small Businesses | Tax credits available to small businesses to help provide insurance | 2010 |
| Large and Medium-Sized Businesses | Large employers must enroll employees in health plans or face fines | 2014 |
| Insurers | Insurers must report and justify premium increases | Effective Immediately |
| Health plans spending a low percentage of premiums on medical care must refund money | 2011 | |
| Insurers must reduce paperwork | 2013 | |
| Insurers cannot restrict coverage based on health status | 2014 | |
| Plans must meet operating standards or face penalty | April 1, 2014 | |
| States can allow purchase of health plans across state borders | 2016 | |
| Insurers taxed for providing plans that cost too much | January 1, 2018 | |
| Doctors / Hospitals | Increased Medicare payments to primary care doctors | 2011 |
| Medicare rewards hospitals with higher quality care | 2012 | |
| Increased Medicaid payments to primary care doctors | 2013 |
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