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
Nov 23, 2021
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
Sep 24, 2021
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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September 18, 2020 Issue Brief
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability in health programs and activities receiving federal funds. Here are the significant ways HHS’s final rule would narrow the scope of this regulation.
October 30, 2020 Issue Brief
As the Trump administration reaches the end of its first term, this issue brief considers the landscape of approved and pending Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waivers under this administration and how the November 2020 presidential election may impact this landscape.
November 9, 2020 Event
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on a legal challenge supported by the Trump administration that seeks to overturn the Affordable Care Act, an outcome that would have major effects throughout the health care system as the law’s provisions have affected nearly all Americans in…
July 9, 2020 Slideshow
October 8, 2020 Blog
Because the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders appears to have increased substantially since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, if the ACA is repealed, mental illnesses could be the most common pre-existing conditions.
October 16, 2020 Report
The poll examines the public’s views on the Supreme Court case to overturn the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Less than a month from the results of the 2020 presidential election, this poll examines the top issues for voters (the economy, the coronavirus pandemic, health care, criminal justice and policing, among others) as well as which candidate, Biden or Trump, they think has the better approach to handle key health care policy areas.
November 19, 2021 News Release
Recent policy attention has focused on efforts to reduce the number of uninsured people in the U.S. by expanding eligibility for coverage assistance, including enhanced premium subsidies in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace and filling the Medicaid “coverage gap.” A new KFF analysis shows that a majority of the…
February 17, 2021 Blog
This post provides details about the ongoing Special Enrollment Period to sign up for health coverage on the ACA exchanges, including who is eligible to enroll, how costly Marketplace insurance is on average, and what other factors will affect enrollment during this period.
January 25, 2021 Issue Brief
This analysis summarizes recent interviews with marketplace navigators and other consumer assistance professionals, who offered observations about the 2021 Open Enrollment period, discussed general and pandemic-specific challenges facing consumers seeking coverage, and offered suggestions to improve enrollment outcomes. The brief also reviews information about federal marketplace resources and spending priorities contained in Trump Administration budget documents, and possible sources of funding for a COVID-19 special enrollment period during the Biden administration.
October 15, 2020 Issue Brief
This brief and side-by-side tables reviews the key health issues that are likely to have a direct impact on women’s health as well as their access to coverage and care, and summarizes the presidential candidates’ stated positions and records on these issues.