The Affordable Care Act and Women Benefits

The Affordable Care Act, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and informally as Obamacare, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23rd, 2010. The aim of the Act is a health care law aimed at improving the health care system of the United States by widening health coverage to more Americans, as well as protecting existing health insurance policy holders. Those who already have health insurance will benefit from the legislation in various ways. Insurance companies will not be able to cancel coverage if someone gets sick, out-of-pocket cost will be covered for preventive and screening services.
Preventive care and early detection of diseases can lead to effective treatment and improved health outcomes while cost-sharing (copayment, coinsurance, or deductible) can be a barrier to women’s access to care. The aim here is to diagnose diseases and conditions early on, when the treatments are most effective. Not only does Obamacare make healthcare available to more than 30 million people who were formerly unable to get insurance, but for women in particular it eliminates unfair obstacles to getting care.
The ACA and Expanded Insurance Coverage
Today, most nonelderly women are covered by health insurance offered by employers. However, women are more likely than men to be covered as family members through their spouse’s employer. That means that women’s coverage is often dependent on their spouse’s circumstances. Depending on their coverage, women can lose their health insurance coverage if they lose their job, or if they become widowed, divorced, or if their husbands lose their jobs. Uninsurance affects a woman’s ability to access and afford care. The Affordable Care Act expands the availability of insurance options, outside of employer-sponsored insurance, for all