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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the "Affordable Care Act," or "ACA") (P.L. 111-148) is expected to expand health care coverage to an additional 32 million individuals through a combination of new health insurance marketplaces (formerly referred to as exchanges) and a state's option to expand Medicaid. In addition, the ACA includes a number of critical protections for consumers or beneficiaries, as well as provisions to improve the quality of care while bending the curve of health care costs.

In New Hampshire, Medicaid pays for in-home care for nearly all of its residents with developmental disabilities. For frail elders, the opposite is true. Most wind up in nursing homes. To remedy this imbalance, New Hampshire is taking advantage of Affordable Care Act funding for a program aimed at removing existing barriers to providing long-term care in people’s homes and communities. Known as the Balancing Incentive Payments Program, it is one of several ACA provisions designed to keep as many people as possible out of costly institutions. Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Texas are also participating in the $3 billion incentive program.

Click here to register for this event What: SAMHSA's Partners for Recovery Initiative invites you to the sixth free webinar in its series about the implementation of expanded addiction and mental health coverage outlined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This webinar, intended for consumers, providers, and state officials, will provide basic information about the prevention provisions and activities included in the ACA. When: June 16, 2011 11:00am Mountain Time For more information: Contact Sherie Boyd at 202-544-5478.

Click here to register for this event What: The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery, Faces and Voices of Recovery, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness jointly present the second in a series of webinars on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its implementation in the states. This webinar will give advocates the strategies and tools they need to interact effectively with state legislators, administrators, and others charged with the development of mechanisms and regulations for implementation of the ACA in their states. When: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 1:00pm Mountain Time For more information: Contact Courtney Kirk at ckirk@magnasystemsinc.com.

The Obama administration moved forward today to implement provisions in the health care law that would make it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. The provisions of the Affordable Care Act also would make it easier for consumers to compare health plans and employers to promote and encourage employee wellness.

HELENA, Mont. – Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Monica J. Lindeen today announced her office's new guide to health insurance, an everyday handbook for common insurance questions and problems.

Top Things to Know for Families with ChildrenYouTube embedded video: http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7BSJmEggpnYInsurance companies can no longer impose lifetime dollar limits on essential coverage limitsJob-based health plans and new individual plans are no longer allowed to deny or exclude coverage for your children (under age 19) based on a pre-existing condition, including a disability. Starting in 2014, these same plans won't be allowed to deny or exclude anyone or charge more for a pre-existing condition including a disability.Parents have new options to cover their children. If your children are under age 26, you can generally insure them if your policy allows for dependent coverage. The only exception is if you have an existing job-based plan, and your children can get their own job-based coverage.An Affordable Insurance Exchange is a new marketplace where individuals and small businesses can buy affordable health benefit plans. Exchanges will offer you a choice of plans that meet certain benefits and cost standards. Starting in 2014, members of Congress will be getting their health care insurance through Exchanges, and you will be able buy your insurance through Exchanges, too.Pregnancy and newborn care, along with vision and dental coverage for children, will be covered in all Exchange plans and new plans sold to individuals and small businesses, starting in 2014.In 2014, if your income is less than the equivalent of about $88,000 for a family of four today, and your job doesn’t offer affordable coverage, you may get tax credits to help pay for insurance.

While some of the key features don't kick in until 2014, the still-controversial law has already altered the health care industry and established a number of consumer benefits.

In particular for families of children with disabilities, Thursday's Supreme Court ruling upholding most of the Affordable Care Act may come as a huge relief. Other government health insurance programs, including Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, have filled some of the gaps in health insurance coverage for people with disabilities before the health care law, but they didn't go far enough.

Much discussion has focused on what this ruling means for the general public; however, little attention has been devoted to what it means for people with disabilities.  Below is a summary of the Act and how it affects individuals with special needs.

A little remarked upon requirement in the health law expands treatments for people with cerebral palsy, autism and other developmental disabilities. But some advocates and policy experts are concerned that insurers may find ways to sidestep the new requirement. The health law requires that individual and small group plans sold on or off the health insurance marketplaces cover 10 essential health benefits, including “rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices.”

The Affordable Care Act will help make health insurance coverage more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans.  For American Indians and Alaska Natives, the law will address inequities and increase access to quality, affordable health coverage, invest in prevention and wellness, and give First American individuals and families more control over their care. 

If you currently don’t have insurance that pays for autism treatment, you may live in one of the 27 states that is now offering that coverage through its state exchange, and you may qualify for federal subsidies to reduce the costs of that insurance.

Autism advocates celebrated what they thought was a major victory when President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010: They expected the law to require all insurance companies to cover pricey, potentially lifelong treatments for those with the incurable condition. But instead of creating a national standard for autism coverage, the administration bowed to political pressure from states and insurers and left it to states to define, within certain parameters, the "essential benefits" that insurance companies must provide.

WASHINGTON, DC (October 10, 2013) -- Autism Speaks today issued autism-specific resources to help families understand the Affordable Care Act and the new changes that will affect health insurance coverage, beginning in 2014. These resources are a prelude to the “Autism Speaks Insurance Link,” a new interactive web tool Autism Speaks will unveil shortly to help families determine whether they are eligible for autism benefits under their current coverage.

HHS has developed a new series of brochures to help Americans understand the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and how it is improving consumer protections, lowering costs and increasing coverage. You can find the overview brochure at http://www.healthcare.gov/center/brochures/for_you.pdf HHS also is developing brochures for specific audiences which HHS will continue to produce. These can be downloaded at www.HealthCare.gov/center/brochures/index.html . There is lots of disability information in general at these links as well as in some of the brochures. Keep checking for more specific information as more brochures are developed.