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The so-called "individual mandate" – the provision under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires most individuals to carry a minimum level of insurance coverage and is now being considered by the Supreme Court – has emerged as the least popular element of the reform law and the prime target for its opponents. Yet in practice, the mandate may not be quite as far-reaching as the controversy over it suggests. The vast majority of Americans already…
If the Supreme Court acts within the next couple of weeks to overturn the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) while leaving the rest of the law intact, expect to hear a lot about how the individual insurance market will be destined for a "death spiral." When compared with implementing the ACA in full as planned, there's a consensus that eliminating the mandate would increase premiums and mean that far fewer of the…
As with any economic policy issue, there has been much discussion of how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will affect small businesses. But, there’s been very little focus on how the health reform law will affect the owners of those businesses as people. As our recently released Employer Health Benefits Survey shows, small businesses are much less likely than larger businesses to offer health benefits to their workers. Half of businesses with 3-9 workers and…
This analysis estimates that Americans currently buying insurance on the individual market would receive $2700 in subsidies (as tax credits) in 2014 under Obamacare. Tax credits are available for qualifying people buying insurance through the new health care marketplaces, or exchanges.
This short explainer highlights the changes for people with pre-existing health conditions coming under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
KFF has updated its 2021 Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator to reflect the expanded premium tax credits available to people who purchase their own coverage through their state’s health insurance exchange as passed by Congress in the American Rescue Plan Act and expected to be signed into law soon. The calculator allows users to enter their age, income, family size, and zip code to assess their eligibility for tax credits and how much they can expect…
The 2023 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Open Enrollment period will run from November 1, 2022 to January 15, 2023 in most states, longer in some state-based marketplaces. This policy watch examines nine changes that may affect what enrollees pay for coverage, the size of tax credits for those eligible, and other changes that could affect enrollees' experiences.
Cutting funding for the trusted and impartial source of important information Navigators provide could have big impacts just as many consumers may need to re-evaluate their coverage options.
Enrollment in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace health plans reached a record 24.3 million people, more than double the total in 2020, with most of the growth occurring in states won by President Trump in the 2024 election, a new KFF analysis finds. Almost all states have seen increases in enrollment since 2020, including six states where enrollment has more than tripled: Texas (up 255%), Mississippi (up 242%), West Virginia (up 234%), Louisiana (up 234%),…
In his latest column, president and CEO Drew Altman discusses why debate about extending the ACA enhanced tax credits set to expire this year has been slow to develop, and why it could matter to Republicans politically if the tax credits are not extended.
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