Final answer:
COBRA provides an extension of employer-sponsored health coverage after qualifying events like job loss. The ACA mandated coverage for uninsured individuals, expanded Medicaid, protected those with preexisting conditions, instituted employer mandates, and allowed children to stay on their parents’ plans until 26.
Step-by-step explanation:
Continued coverage under COBRA would be provided to an individual who was previously covered by an employer-sponsored health insurance plan but has experienced a qualifying event such as job loss, reduction in hours, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events that affect health insurance coverage. COBRA allows for the temporary extension of health coverage at group rates. The coverage can be extended for a limited period of 18-36 months, depending on the qualifying event.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) also influences health insurance coverage by providing health insurance for an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans. This expansion includes individuals earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level and changes to Medicaid eligibility. Moreover, under the ACA, insurance companies are prohibited from denying coverage to people with preexisting medical conditions and removing annual and lifetime coverage limits. Children can also remain on their parents' policy until the age of 26. Additionally, the employer mandate requires all employers with more than 50 employees to offer health insurance to their workforce.