Final answer:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is a healthcare reform law that aimed to provide affordable insurance and reduce healthcare costs, requiring all Americans to have insurance or face a penalty. It faced significant challenges in courts but was largely upheld by the Supreme Court. It has achieved a majority approval over time and is a pivotal example of public law influencing society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Overview of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The healthcare law/regulation discussed in class is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also commonly referred to as Obamacare. The ACA was introduced to provide all Americans with access to affordable health insurance and to reduce healthcare costs. It mandated that all US citizens have some form of health insurance or face a penalty - a provision that was later challenged and changed. This public law sparked significant debate, with challenges leading up to a Supreme Court decision that largely upheld the law.
Enacted in 2010, the ACA created private insurance company exchanges and aimed to expand healthcare coverage, including Medicaid. Following substantial lobbying from various interest groups such as insurance companies and medical establishments, the law experienced both support and opposition from different sectors of society. After legal challenges, including the significant case of National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, the Supreme Court upheld the ACA, confirming the individual mandate as a constitutional exercise of Congress's power to tax.
The ACA has since become a cornerstone topic in discussions about healthcare reform in the United States, with its rate of approval and acceptance changing over time. As of March 2022, it has achieved a majority approval rating of 55%. The ACA demonstrates the complex nature of public laws that affect the entire society and how they are formed through legislative processes and influenced by judicial review.