| The PPACA, which is short for the Patient Protection | | | | increase in the Medicaid drug rebate, the creation of |
| and Affordable Care Act, was signed into law on | | | | the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, |
| March 23, 2010. President Obama approved this bill to | | | | and the creation of the National Prevention, Health |
| improve health care, along with the Health Care and | | | | Promotion and Public Health Council. Dependent |
| Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. There are many | | | | children will now be covered under their parent's |
| health-related provisions that will take effect for the | | | | Texas health insurance plans, as well as all other |
| following four years, and Texas health insurance will be | | | | states, until they are 26 years old. Insurance |
| affected, just like insurance in all the other states. New | | | | companies are now prohibited from dropping insured |
| provisions include prohibiting denial of coverage due to | | | | when they become sick. |
| pre-existing conditions, increasing Medicaid eligibility, | | | | The following provisions will be rolled out over the next |
| creating incentives for businesses to offer health care | | | | few years: Employers must notify employees of the |
| benefits, creating health insurance exchanges, provide | | | | value of provided benefits on W-2 forms. Customers |
| support for medical research, and subsidizing insurance | | | | will receive a rebate when insurers do not spend at |
| premiums. | | | | least 80% of small -group and individual or 85% of |
| The costs for all these new programs and changes | | | | large-group premiums. Flexible spending accounts, |
| will be paid for by fees and taxes. Additional measures | | | | health savings accounts, and other such accounts will |
| to pay for these new programs include taxes on | | | | not be able to be used to pay for over-the-counter |
| indoor tanning, new Medicare taxes for those in a | | | | medications. When self employed people earn more |
| high-income tax bracket, fees on medical devices, a | | | | than $200,000 annually, they will be subject to an |
| tax for people that do not get health insurance | | | | additional 0.5% tax. Insurers will be prohibited from |
| coverage, and Medicare Advantage program fairness | | | | charging higher rates or discriminating against people |
| changes. The Congressional Budget office is | | | | with pre-existing health conditions. Annual spending |
| estimating a federal deficit reduction of $143 billion over | | | | caps will be prohibited. Chain restaurants with more |
| the first 10 years. | | | | than 20 locations will be required to show the caloric |
| There are some provisions to this act that started | | | | content of foods on drive through menus, vending |
| immediately, others started at the end of September | | | | machines, and dining-in menus.If you need assistance in |
| 2010, and still others will not go into effects until 2014. | | | | locating particular coverages at a pre-determined price, |
| Some more key provisions of this bill include an | | | | we can help save 50% on health insurance. |