More than a decade after its enactment, tens of millions of people nationwide rely on coverage options created through the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). The law has survived multiple court challeges at the U.S. Supreme Court and repeated attempts by Republicans in Congress to repeal it. Subsequent legislation has scaled back some aspects of the law and expanded others, including by the COVID-19 relief bill, the American Response Plan Act of 2021. This page highlights relevant analysis about the ACA and proposed and enacted changes to it..
For information about ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment, including fact sheets and 300+ FAQs, visit our collection of resources on Understanding Health Insurance.
Featured Affordable Care Act Resources
Potential Costs and Impact of Health Provisions in the Build Back Better Act
A summary of 10 of the major health coverage and financing provisions of the current Build Back Better Act, with discussion of the potential implications for people and the federal budget.
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Related Affordable Care Act Resources
- 5 Charts About Public Opinion on the Affordable Care Act
- A Closer Look at the Uninsured Marketplace Eligible Population Following the American Rescue Plan Act
- Eligibility for ACA Health Coverage Following Job Loss
- Pre-Existing Condition Prevalence for Individuals and Families
- Building on the Evidence Base: Studies on the Effects of Medicaid Expansion, February 2020 to March 2021
- FAQs: Health Insurance Marketplace and the ACA
- Explaining Health Care Reform: Questions About Health Insurance Subsidies
- Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions: Interactive Map
- Preventive Services Tracker
- Tracking Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers
How Marketplace Costs and Premiums will Change if Rescue Plan Subsidies Expire
In this Policy Watch we explore the potential impact of the expiration of the American Rescue Plan Act’s enhanced financial help and new eligibility for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplace federal subsidies. While the COVID-19 relief legislation passed earlier this year provides greater subsidy assistance through 2022, Democrats in Congress are currently considering making the temporary federal help permanent or extending it as part of their planned budget reconciliation legislation.
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Testimony: Pre-Existing Conditions and Health Insurance
KFF’s Karen Pollitz testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means on Jan. 29, 2019 examines the prevalence of pre-existing conditions, the impact of the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition against medical underwriting and other provisions aimed at stabilizing the insurance risk pool, and the trade-offs involved in relaxing those provisions.
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KFF Poll: Public Opinion and Knowledge on Reproductive Health Policy
The latest KFF Poll examines the public’s attitudes towards different facets of reproductive health care in light of recent policy changes made by the Trump administration. This poll examines attitudes towards major changes to the Title X program and attitudes toward state-level laws restricting abortions after a fetal heartbeat has been detected. The poll also looks at public awareness of provisions related to women’s health that are part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
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Poll Finds Most Americans Oppose the Trump Administration’s Changes to Restrict Title X Family Planning Funds from Clinics that also Provide or Refer for Abortion
A new KFF poll of the public’s views on reproductive health issues finds most Americans, including majorities of women of reproductive age, are concerned that access to women’s reproductive health and preventive care services may be limited by the Trump administration’s changes to Title X, the nation’s federal family planning…
News Release Read More Individual Market Insurers Are Expecting to Pay a Record $800 Million in Rebates to Consumers for Excessive Premiums in 2018
Individual market insurers are expecting to return to consumers a record total of about $800 million in excess premiums for 2018, a year in which the insurance companies posted their best annual financial performance under the Affordable Care Act to date, finds a new KFF analysis. The rebates to more…
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KFF Health Tracking Poll – July 2019: The Future of the ACA and Possible Changes to the Current System, Preview of Priorities Heading Into 2nd Democratic Debate
This month’s KFF Health Tracking Poll explores public opinion towards a government-administered public option, and finds that attitudes can change after hearing common arguments. The poll also examines the public’s views toward Medicare-for-all and the Affordable Care Act, as well as the top issues for Democrats ahead of the second round of presidential debates.
Poll Finding Read More Poll: Strong Initial Support for a Public Option, But Arguments Can Significantly Shift Views
Health Care Remains a Top Issue for Democrats Heading into Next Debates; At This Stage, More Want to Hear About Candidates’ Difference than Contrasts with President Trump The 2020 presidential election may be shaping up to be another election cycle focused on health care, with Democratic candidates offering competing proposals…
News Release Read More Poll: Most Americans Don’t Realize How Dramatically the Medicare-for-all Proposals Would Revamp the Nation’s Health Care System
As Congress and the Democratic presidential candidates continue to discuss Medicare-for-all and other proposals to expand public health coverage, most Americans know little about how the leading Medicare-for-all proposals would reshape the way all Americans get and pay for health care. This month’s KFF Health Tracking Poll probes the public’s…
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Key State Policy Choices About Medical Frailty Determinations for Medicaid Expansion Adults
This issue brief answers 3 key questions and provides new data about state medical frailty determinations, which are assuming greater importance as more states adopt restrictive Section 1115 waivers that exempt medically frail enrollees from policies such as work requirements and premiums. The findings are excerpted from our 50-state survey on Medicaid financial eligibility for seniors and people with disabilities.
Issue Brief Read More JAMA Forum: What Does it Mean to Protect People with Preexisting Conditions?
In this June 2018 post for The JAMA Forum, Larry Levitt examines the potential impact of the Trump Administration’s legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
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300+ FAQs Help Consumers Understand the ACA Marketplaces as Open Enrollment Begins
Ahead of the annual Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period, the time during which consumers can shop for health plans or renew existing coverage, KFF has updated and expanded its searchable collection of more than 300 Frequently Asked Questions about open enrollment, the health insurance marketplaces and the ACA.…
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