New Website Helps Explain Health Care Law

Eight consumer and health organizations have created a new Web site to help the public understand the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law enacted last year.

The site, HealthCareandYou.org, launched today. It is a joint effort of the Health Care and You Coalition, which includes the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and 7 other organizations, including AARP and the American Medical Association. ACS CAN is the American Cancer Society’s advocacy affiliate.

The site will provide information on which provisions of the new law are already in effect, and which will be going into effect in the future. It also helps consumers locate health coverage options in their state.

“Key provisions of the law have the potential to help millions of Americans with cancer or at risk for cancer to access lifesaving care, but first they need to understand what the law means for them,” said Christopher W. Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “HealthCareandYou.org is an essential tool that will inform families struggling with cancer about new coverage options, patient protections and no-cost preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies.”

Information on the site will be updated to reflect any changes in the healthcare law, the participating organizations say. There are also plans to add a chat feature in the future that will allow users to ask questions of the member organizations.

For a complete list of organizations that make up the Health Care and You Coalition, visit

http://www.healthcareandyou.org/about/

To learn more about how the Affordable Care Act can help people with cancer, see our  brochure on cancer.org