PPACA - The Starting Point for Reform
I recently led a class on the new health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and have attched the powerpoint presentation from that class. I hope this provides a good start on understanding the scope of the this legislation. A good overall detailed summary of the statute, which incorporates the Reconciliation changes into the PPACA provisions, is here. The whole law, including the Reconciliation Act changes, is here.
PPACA is the start of a decades long process of remaking the health care system in the United States.The law calls for many new state or federal agencies, commissions, and other institutions, as well as scores of new federal rules and regulations, and will most likely require changes to other existing federal and state laws if it is to be fully implemented. Congress has already begun talking about amending some of the provisions in PPACA due to "unintended consequences."
Cost estimates for the reformation are continually changing as well, and it now appears the purported $1 Trillion cap on cost will be significantly surpassed.
For a timeline on when the various changes become effective, the Kaiser Family Foundation's is a good reference.
