Consumer Reports has just released a short and easy-to-read guide to how Obamacare – also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – will affect you and your family: Consumer Reports – Health Reform: Seven Things You Need to Know(opens in new tab).
While it won’t teach you how to do a DIY knee replacement, the guide does do a good job of explaining the new consumer protections and benefits provided by the ACA, as well as:
- Upcoming changes to Medicare
- What the “mandate” means for you (hint: most likely, nothing)
- Related new tax rules for 2013
- How state health exchanges will work
- What “essential benefits” you can count on
- Who qualifies for help paying for health insurance
- Changes for large and small employers
- How Medicaid eligibility is changing
Consumer Reports will send free bulk copies (printed magazine-style) to anyone who will commit to distributing at least 25 copies – just fill out this form(opens in new tab).
A Spanish-language edition of the guide is due out soon. For more consumer resources on health care, visit Your Health Security – A Project of Consumers Union(opens in new tab). Other questions? Send an e-mail to guide@consumersunion.com.