The Affordable Care Act (also referred to as the “ACA”) was enacted earlier this year culminating over a year of intense political negotiations, legislative drafting, and numerous Congressional hearings over whether, and how, to comprehensively reform the U.S. health care system. The ACA is made up of two pieces of legislation -- the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or “PPACA,” Pub. L. No. 111-148, which President Obama signed on March 23, 2010, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, or “HCERA,” Pub. L. 111-152, which President Obama signed on March 30, 2010.

This issue of the Health Law Reporter describes some of the sweeping changes the ACA makes to the way in which health care will be accessed, delivered, and paid for in the United States. The ACA has a broad reach, which will affect most Americans, as well as many, if not all, sectors of the U.S. health care system including health care providers, health insurers, and biomedical companies such as pharmaceutical and device manufacturers.