Today, PCG’s Health Policy News team released our annual fall white paper. This year’s topic is “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Ten Years Later: States Take the Lead.”
September 23, 2020 marked the 10 year anniversary of the start of implementation of major, long-term provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Having just passed that anniversary, we are using our annual white paper series to catch up on the ACA’s unique path to implementation and, in particular, how it has impacted states.
While the ACA has become solidly intertwined into the United States’ healthcare system in the decade since its implementation began, enactment of the law has not been a linear process. This unpredictability has raised challenges for states, who have dealt with unexpected bumps and shifting sands at the federal level while attempting to implement ACA provisions; however, it has also left space for states who have risen to the occasion, taking the lead and tailoring implementation to local needs. This paper examines various states’ successes and expansion areas, focusing on how states have stepped into leadership roles—implementing, adapting and leveraging sections of the ACA in order to provide the best healthcare for their population. The paper explores several areas in which the ACA has provided both opportunities and challenges for states, highlighting states that have shown an ability to be nimble and have positioned themselves in a leading policy role on many key provisions of the ACA.
It is especially timely to take a look back at the history of the ACA’s implementation now, as we approach a national election that—regardless of its outcome—will undeniably have a significant impact on healthcare and the upcoming Supreme Court argument of California v Texas.
Following the election, we will release a follow-up paper examining the likely future of the ACA in light of the election outcome and Supreme Court decision, and continued efforts at the state level to best address healthcare needs.
Click here to read the first in this series of papers.
Webinar
The Health Policy News team hosted a virtual, interactive discussion of this white paper October 23rd, and have posted a recording of the session for those unable to attend. Click the image on the left to view the presentation deck, and click here to view the discussion recording.
