How the Affordable Care Act Makes Health Coverage More Affordable

This fact sheet explains how the Affordable Care Act guarantees that more Americans can afford to buy health insurance by providing financial assistance to help people pay for coverage. And thanks to new consumer protections, several groups of people will no longer have to worry about barriers to health coverage like they have in the past.

For Americans who buy health insurance on their own (and don’t have it through their job), insurance sold through the Affordable Care Act’s new health insurance marketplaces may prove to be cheaper and more comprehensive. The law’s consumer protections ensure that more people will be able to get affordable, high-quality coverage.

The Affordable Care Act also helps specific groups of Americans by:

• providing fairer treatment for people with pre-existing conditions
• helping low- and middle-income Americans afford health insurance
• offering fairer and more affordable health coverage to women and older Americans
• making it easier for young adults get health insurance

Find out more about how these groups of people are protected under the Affordable Care Act.