The Impact

What does the Supreme Court's health-care ruling mean for me?

The court's decision to uphold all but one component of the health-care law means new rules for insurers that have already taken effect will remain in place. Beginning in 2014, virtually all Americans will have to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty. There also will be new opportunities to get coverage, including state-based marketplaces known as exchanges* (through which individuals will be able to purchase private plans that meet strict benchmarks for quality) and federal subsidies to help low-income people buy plans on the exchanges. The law will also expand the eligibility rules for Medicaid, but the Court found that states can not be penalized if they decline to comply with the expansion, raising questions as to how effectively the federal government will be able to implement it. Full coverage

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*The theory is that the exchanges could also help lower premiums by pooling many people in one marketplace and fostering competition among insurers.

GRAPHIC: Wilson Andrews, Karen Yourish and N.C. Aizenman - The Washington Post. Published March 21, 2010. Updated June 28, 2012.