Often people are confused in differentiating between Obamacare and ACA. The words are used interchangeably but are still often misunderstood. They do have similar meanings, but one is a nickname for the other. In this blog, we will go in depth on the difference between Obamacare and ACA.
The Basics
To start off let’s state clearly that Obamacare and the ACA are technically the same. When using the word “Obamacare” it is simply a nickname for the Affordable Care ACT (ACA) Marketplace. This is the health insurance law that was enacted with the help of President Obama to help millions of Americans to have access to affordable quality healthcare. The ACA Marketplace is the name of the online enrollment platform that Americans could shop and enroll in a health insurance plan of their choice.
Comprehensive Changes
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was specifically designed to overhaul the healthcare system in America that limited individuals from obtaining quality healthcare based on financial status and pre-existing health conditions. The new ACA law allowed lower income households to qualify for government subsidies to help pay for their healthcare costs. In some cases, households may qualify for a plan that costs $0 if their income was in a specific income range. The law also required participating health insurance carriers to cover all pre-existing health conditions. In the past this was not the case and would often put those most in need in situations where they could not get coverage for their health conditions.
Obamacare is a Symbolic Nickname
“Obamacare” has grown in popularity as the President helped push the ACA law into place and the marketing of this nickname was polarizing. Political sides fought against whether the law was constitutional or unconstitutional. Throughout the years the law has been threatened by opposition and nearly overturned on several occasions.
As we fast forward to present day the ACA Marketplace has evolved, and millions of Americans now have access to quality healthcare at a low cost.