More than a week after President Obama signed the sweeping new health care law, which will eventually provide insurance coverage for 32 million uninsured Americans, many of us are still scratching our heads. What just happened? And how and when will we start feeling its effect?
In the long term, the legislation will require most Americans to obtain health insurance. It will also offer federal subsidies to lower premiums and significantly expand eligibility for Medicaid.
The changes will mean that 94 percent of legal residents not covered by Medicare will have health insurance, up from 83 percent now, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
While the biggest changes will not take effect until 2014, some important provisions will begin as early as June, while others will kick in by the end of the year. These include significant new restrictions on the insurance industry and new protections for consumers who already have health insurance. There are also perks for Medicare recipients and help for young adults. And in just 90 days there will be new coverage for people who have lost health insurance and can’t qualify for an individual policy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/health/30well.html?th&emc=th