The Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010.  On September 23, 2010, the following guaranteed benefits,  took effect:

At A Glance:

In More Detail:

• Insurers are prohibited from imposing lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits, like hospital stays, in new policies issued.
• Dependents (mainly children) will be permitted to remain on their parents' insurance plan until their 26th birthday, and regulations implemented under the ACA include dependents that no longer live with their parents, are not a dependent on a parent's tax return, are no longer a student, or are married.
• Insurers are prohibited from excluding pre-existing medical conditions (except in grandfathered individual health insurance plans) for children under the age of 19.
• All new insurance plans must cover preventive care and medical screenings rated Level A or B by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Insurers are prohibited from charging co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles for these services.

Continue reading full list 

Since then the ACA has been judged Constitutional by the Supreme Court. It has withstood 40 votes for repeal in Congress.

So, what comes next? 

The Congressional Budget Office predict that the ACA will have a positive effect on the National Debt.

Being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition where women can be charged more for health insurance.

Our friends at Citizen Action of Wisconsin have produced the website, Got Healthcare?, that helps individuals and groups learn about the Affordable Care Act.  Citizen Action has produced a report on the specific options that will be available on October 1, 2013.  It will preview Wisconsin's implementation.

We at Grassroots North Shore are committed to supporting the Affordable Care Act and to helping residents of Milwaukee and its North Shore communities understand and implement the law's provisions.