Final answer:
The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is a significant healthcare legislation passed in 2010 to provide more Americans with access to affordable health insurance. It reduced the uninsured rate and faced contentious political and legal challenges, ultimately gaining public support by 2022.
Step-by-step explanation:
The popular nickname for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is Obamacare. This monumental piece of legislation, aimed at overhauling the U.S. healthcare system, was passed by the U.S. Congress in 2010. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was a significant effort to reduce the number of uninsured Americans and to make health insurance more affordable, hence its alternate name, the Affordable Health Care Act. It introduced insurance subsidies for low-income groups and mandated that all citizens have health insurance coverage, leading to a drastic decline in the uninsured rate by 2016.Impact of ObamacareWhile Obamacare has been contested and debated, it has been a lifeline for many, securing insurance for those previously uninsured. It has faced legal challenges and has been a focal point in political discourse, but it remained largely intact after two Supreme Court decisions. By March 2022, Obamacare had achieved majority approval among the public.