The
Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been one of the most controversial pieces of
social legislation enacted in recent history. Much of the debate, however, has
been partisan and ideological in nature. A considered discussion of the law’s successes
and failures to date is long overdue.
We know the
law has had a considerable impact on the availability of health insurance. More
than 25 million people are now estimated to have health insurance under its
various provisions. Because of the Supreme Court’s unexpected ruling that made
Medicaid expansion a state choice, drops in uninsured rates diverge greatly
across the country, with rates falling to the lowest levels in states that have
expanded Medicaid eligibility. All told, as many as 16.4 million previously
uninsured people have gained coverage since the law passed in 2010.
