The Affordable Care Act (ACA) — formally the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often called “Obamacare” — is the federal health care reform law enacted in 2010. It fundamentally changed how health insurance works in the United States, particularly for people who don’t get coverage through an employer or government program.
The ACA’s most significant provisions include:
For 2026, the ACA remains in effect. The enhanced subsidies that expanded eligibility above 400% FPL expired December 31, 2025. The subsidy cliff has returned.
The ACA is the law that created the rules. The Marketplace is one of the tools created by the ACA — the platform where you shop for ACA-compliant plans and apply for subsidies. You can also have ACA-compliant coverage outside the Marketplace (like employer plans), but only Marketplace enrollment qualifies for subsidies.
As of 2026, the ACA remains federal law. The individual mandate penalty was eliminated in 2019, meaning there’s no federal tax penalty for being uninsured. However, core ACA provisions — including pre-existing condition protections, Essential Health Benefits, dependent coverage to 26, and the Marketplace — remain in effect.
.svg)