The first part of the comprehensive health care reform law enacted on march 23 2010 the law was amended by the health care and education reconciliation act on march 30 2010 the name affordable care act is usually used to refer to the final amended version of the law its sometimes . The patient protection and affordable care act ppaca often shortened to the affordable care act aca or nicknamed obamacare is a united states federal statute enacted by the 111th united states congress and signed into law by president barack obama on march 23 2010. And examples to illustrate common benefits scenarios guidance 1001 6of9 readmissions and improve patient safety and promote wellness and health the patient protection and affordable care act section of the law subject implementing document release date . The patient protection and affordable care act of 2010 is a law that significantly changed health care in the united states it made insurance available to between 32 million and 50 million more americans or 95 percent of the legal population. You can read the affordable care act by visiting the links below the health care law sometimes known as obamacare was signed march 23 2010 read the full law the law has 2 parts the patient protection and affordable care act and the health care and education reconciliation act you can view them in pdf or html formats below