Final answer:
Paul is protected by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits the denial of insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions. The ACA also provided subsidies and increased Medicaid eligibility, substantially reducing the uninsured rate in America.
Step-by-step explanation:
The legislation put in place to prevent individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as a cancer diagnosis, from being denied insurance coverage is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), often nicknamed Obamacare. This landmark health care reform, passed in 2010 and implemented fully in 2014, included provisions that prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Additionally, the ACA increased eligibility to programs like Medicaid and established regulations to ensure that most of the premiums collected by insurers go towards medical care, not profits.
Furthermore, the ACA addressed the issue of adverse selection by mandating that all Americans obtain insurance or face a penalty, which helped to balance the risk pool by including currently healthy individuals. This mandate also worked in conjunction with subsidies provided to individuals with lower incomes, making health insurance more accessible and affordable for millions of Americans.
In summary, thanks to the ACA, 29 million people in the U.S. have gained health insurance coverage. This represents a significant decrease in the number of uninsured, aiding in curbing the issue of many Americans being uninsured or underinsured.