human
I've been hearing about the new health care reform law recently. What does it do?
assistant
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is a series of laws that were passed in 2010 to expand access to health insurance and provide financial assistance for those who need it. It sets up state-based health insurance exchanges where individuals can shop for affordable coverage. It also provides subsidies to help people pay for their premiums, expands Medicaid eligibility, requires insurers to cover certain preventive services at no cost to the patient, and prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.