Understanding the Affordable Care Act

This is a book meant for the advanced student of health policy and healthcare leaders throughout the country who are working daily in the healthcare fields that are impacted by the law. Incredibly, surveys of the public and of professionals in the healthcare field show that both groups have major gaps in basic knowledge about the ACA, how it will affect one’s own health or business, and how it will impact the landscape of healthcare in the U.S. This work attempts to have a balance of approach to the ACA. Hopefully this willingness to discuss both the advances and the challenges of the ACA will be evident to those who take the time to read the book. It is not a book that is meant to convince the reader to love the ACA if they hate it, or to hate it if they love it. It is not meant to be a book about politics, yet the author recognizes that, even after more than five years since its passage, public perception and attitudes about the ACA are often related to one’s political position, and discussions on the ACA often evoke very visceral reactions. My hope with this book is that a deeper knowledge of the ACA’s many features will bring a better understanding and result in a more informed public dialogue and “reforms of the reforms” where needed. The resources used in the preparation of this book have been mainly peer-reviewed and academic literature, or government and non-profit reports on the ACA. Occasionally, print media and websites have been utilized when the information found there is important and felt to be accurate. “Brooks manages to capture the Affordable Care Act in all of its complex and chaotic glory, a must read for students of Health Policy” - Rene McEldowney PhD, Professor and Program Director, Health Administration, Auburn University “It is rare that the term ‘Affordable Care Act’ (ACA) does not evoke an immediate, often visceral emotional response on the part of the listener or reader. It is similarly unusual for an author to examine the ACA dispassionately—analyzing it thoroughly to expose its strengths, weaknesses, and areas where it might be enhanced. Written by a researcher and policy expert with close ties to medical practice, Understanding the Affordable Care Act is a must read for medical students, medical residents, health practitioners of all disciplines, and policy makers seeking a deeper comprehension of a reforming health system.” - Leslie M. Beitsch, MD, JD, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine; Florida State University College of Medicine “Few people understand what the Affordable Care Act is or what it seeks to do. Even fewer have read it. Dr. Brooks read it, has personally, understands its nuances and has clearly and cleanly explained how the Act works. Dr. Brooks’ experienced and balanced view cuts through the political noise that has occupied the field of discussions about the Act. This book is a necessary, practical and very timely tool for students, practitioners, policy makers, employers and consultants.” - Jay Wolfson, DrPH, JD, Distinguished Service Professor Public Health, Medicine and Pharmacy, Morsani College of Medicine; University of South Florida