Today the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, turns 2 years old! President Obama signed it into law on March 23, 2010.
So far, the ACA has benefited tens of thousands of kids in Nebraska, and millions of kids across the country. Children with conditions like asthma and diabetes no longer have to worry about being denied health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Young adults are able to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan up to the age of 26 and no longer have to worry about access to health care as they work to establish a career. As of June 2011, 15,280 young adults in Nebraska gained health insurance coverage because of this provision.
The Affordable Care Act has also improved access to preventive care for children. The parents of over 96,000 Nebraska children no longer have to worry about payment barriers in the form of co-pays or deductibles when accessing preventive care. Preventive care is crucial for children because it helps ensure that issues are identified and treated early.
The Affordable Care Act means that today’s children are part of the first generation to grow up with better access to health care than their parents. This generation will have the security of knowing that health insurance will still be accessible even if they lose their job or are diagnosed with a chronic condition.
More benefits for kids are on the way when the law is fully implemented in 2014. These include the elimination of lifetime limits on care and extended access to the Medicaid program for former foster youth.
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