""

In March 2010 the President signed an expansive new federal health care law for the United States.  It will impact the lives of all Alaskans, as well as Alaskan employers and the Alaskan health care industry.  The new law includes provisions that affect health insurance coverage, health care financing and delivery, the health care workforce, public health, and long term care.  Some of these provisions take effect immediately, many take effect in the year 2014, and some will not take effect until as late as 2018. In the interest of helping Alaskans understand the new law the Department of Health & Social Services has created this website.  It will be updated periodically with information on what the state is doing to analyze the impact and consider implementation of certain provisions of the law.

General Overview of Law with Timeline

Governor’s Press Releases Related to New Federal Health Care Law

Links to the Federal Health Care Laws:

  • Final Consolidated Law:  This document integrates the manager’s amendments to the primary law (P.L. 111-148) made by Title X of the legislation, and also those made by the reconciliation legislation (P.L. 111-152), into the body of the primary law (Titles I thru IX of P.L. 111-148).  (This document was compiled by Legislative Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives)

  • P.L. 111-148, the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, is the primary law.  It passed Congress as H.R. 3590, which was the U.S. Senate’s version of health care reform that passed the Senate in December 2009.  It was passed by the House of Representatives on March 21 and was signed by the President on March 23.
  • P.L. 111-152, the Health Care Education & Reconciliation Act, is the law that amends P.L. 111-148 to reflect the changes the U.S. House of Representatives made to the health care reform law.  This law passed Congress as H.R. 4872 on March 25 and was signed by the President on March 30.
  • P.L. 111-159, the TRICARE Affirmation Act, is a law that clarifies and affirms that TRICARE coverage for military beneficiaries qualifies as coverage under the provision of P.L. 111-148 that requires individuals to purchase health insurance.  This law passed Congress as H.R. 4887 on April 12 and was signed by the President on April 26.

Links to Additional Information