The Affordable Care Act kicks into high gear in October, when
Americans will have their first chance to buy health insurance through
new state exchanges.
Women, those with chronic health issues and
seniors are among those likely to be the biggest winners under the new
law, popularly known as Obamacare. For example, insurers will no longer
be able to charge women more than they do men, a practice that currently
forces women to pay an extra $1 billion per year (.pdf file) in higher health-insurance premiums, according to the National Women's Law Center.
Similarly,
many older and sicker Americans will also benefit, said Sara Collins,
the vice president for affordable health insurance at The Commonwealth
Fund.
"The market reforms really level the playing field," Collins
notes. "You can no longer be excluded based on your health, for
instance, if you have diabetes or asthma. That will really benefit those
who are older."
Click ahead to read how Obamacare might affect people in different demographic groups.
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