The Affordable Care Act (also called health care reform and Obamacare) is a set of health insurance reforms that started in 2010 and will continue to roll out in 2014 and beyond.
2014 is an important year for the new law. The Health Insurance Marketplace (also called state insurance exchanges) will offer a new way for people without insurance to get coverage and to find out if they can get lower costs for private insurance.
Also starting in 2014, people who do not have health coverage may have to pay a penalty.
The following are key dates for the new law:
- October 1, 2013 – Open enrollment through the health insurance exchanges begins.
- December 15, 2013 – Last day to purchase health care insurance coverage on a health insurance exchange for 2014.
- January 1, 2014 – Coverage begins in the Health Insurance Marketplace. This includes:
- Coverage for pre-existing conditions
- Medicaid expansion
- End of yearly limits on coverage
- Expanded small business tax credit
- March 31, 2014 – Final day for open enrollment through the health insurance exchanges.
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