The Affordable Care Act


Commonly called Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. On June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the health care law, which ensures that individuals who do not have access to health insurance through an employer or other source are eligible to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan through a state or federal healthcare exchange. Missouri has opted out of the state-based exchange, but Missouri residents can still access the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace at www.healthcare.gov. Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage ended on January 31, 2016.

This page includes resources to help you understand the Affordable Care Act and how it affects you. Below are links to informative, authoritative websites and tools to help you navigate enrollment. Our Upcoming Events page will be updated to show when you can visit the Library to get help from Certified Application Counselors.

The Affordable Care Act
General information about the Affordable Care Act , including links to read the entire law as it was passed and plain-language benefits information, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Application Forms
This page from Healthcare.gov provides downloadable versions of enrollment forms for individuals and families in both English and Spanish, as well as links to several enrollment aids in a wide variety of languages

CoverMissouri.org
Created by the Missouri Foundation for Health, this page features Missouri-specific information related to the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Glossary: HealthCare.gov
A glossary of the terminology used in the Affordable Care Act, on HealthCare.gov, and in the Health Insurance Marketplace

Health Law Helper
Created by Consumer Reports, this page is dedicated to answering questions about the Health Insurance Marketplace

How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Missouri
A breakdown of how Missourians have been and will continue to be affected by the Affordable Care Act, created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Kaiser Family Foundation Subsidy Calculator
Use basic information to determine eligibility for subsidies and to figure out an affordable amount to spend on health insurance.

Marketplace Application Checklist
A printable list of everything you'll need to complete the enrollment process

MoHealth Report
Ongoing coverage of the Affordable Care Act and Health Insurance Marketplace from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Renewing Your Health Insurance Coverage
Just because you signed up last year doesn't mean you're totally off the hook this time around. Use this printable guide to learn how to renew your health insurance coverage through the Marketplace.

Things to Think About When Choosing a Plan
A printable list of things to consider as you go through the enrollment process

Using the Marketplace
Use this page on Healthcare.gov to help guide you through the often-confusing process of enrolling for health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“VA, the Affordable Care Act, and You”
This page created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs explains the basics for veterans and their families, as well as how they can use HealthCare.gov to shop for coverage for themselves and their families.