2013
IMPROVING QUALITY AND LOWERING COSTS
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Improving Preventive Health Coverage. To expand the number of Americans receiving preventive care, the law provides new funding to state Medicaid programs that choose to cover preventive services for patients at little or no cost. Effective January 1, 2013.
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Expanding Authority to Bundle Payments. The law establishes a national pilot program to encourage hospitals, doctors, and other providers to work together to improve the coordination and quality of patient care. For example, instead of a surgical procedure generating multiple claims from multiple providers, the entire team is compensated with a “bundled” payment that provides incentives to deliver health care services more efficiently while maintaining or improving quality of care. Effective no later than January 1, 2013.
INCREASING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CARE
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Increasing Medicaid Payments for Primary Care Doctors. As Medicaid programs and providers prepare to cover more patients in 2014, the law requires states to pay primary care physicians no less than 100% of Medicare payment rates in 2013 and 2014 for primary care services. The increase is funded by the federal government. Effective January 1, 2013
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Open Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace Begins. Individuals and small businesses can buy affordable and qualifed health benefit plans in a new transparent insurance marketplace. Effective October 1, 2013.
Affordable Care Act Timeline
