Final answer:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allows adult children to stay on their parent's insurance policy until they turn 26. It is part of a comprehensive healthcare reform aimed at expanding coverage and reducing the number of uninsured Americans.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandates that insurers provide coverage for adult children of the insured up to the age of 26. This provision helps to ensure that more young adults can remain insured during a critical transitional period of their lives. In doing so, the act helps to lower the uninsured rate among young Americans and provides a safety net as they move from school to the workforce, often with entry-level jobs that may not provide health benefits.
Enacted in 2010 and with major provisions implemented by 2014, the act represents a significant overhaul of the U.S. health insurance system. It aims to extend coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, improve the quality of healthcare, and curtail healthcare spending. Through subsidies, the expansion of Medicaid, and regulations to ensure insurance companies offer essential benefits, the Affordable Care Act works towards the goal of universal coverage within the United States.