From Healthcare.gov

• Most people who currently have health insurance can keep it.

• Young adults can stay on their parents plan until 26.

• If you don’t have coverage, you can use the new Health Insurance Marketplace to buy a private insurance plan.

• Open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace goes from October 1st, 2013 to March 31st, 2014.

• If you don’t obtain coverage or an exemption by January 1st, 2014 you must pay a per-month fee on your federal income tax return for every month you are without health insurance.

• In 2014 the fee is $95 per adult ($47.50 per child) or 1% of income, whichever is higher. The family max is $285.

• The cost of your marketplace health insurance works on a sliding scale. Those who make less, pay less.

• American making less than $45,960 as individual or $94,200 as a family of 4 may be eligible for premium tax credits through the marketplace. Tax credits subsidize insurance premium costs.

• If you are able to get qualified health insurance through your employer you won’t be able to receive marketplace tax credits unless the employer doesn’t cover at least 60% of your premium cost, doesn’t provide quality insurance or provides insurance that exceeds 9.5% of your families income.

• Up to 82% of nearly 16 million uninsured young U.S. adults will qualify for federal subsidies or Medicaid through the marketplace.

• You don’t have to use the marketplace to buy insurance, but you should fill out an application to see if you qualify for assistance before shopping for insurance outside of the marketplace.

• The ACA does away with pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination so these factors will no longer affect the cost of your insurance on or off the marketplace.

• You can’t be denied health coverage based on health status.

• You can’t be dropped from coverage when you are sick.

• Health Insurers can’t place lifetime limits on your coverage. As of 2014 annual limits are eliminated as well.

• All new plans sold on or off the marketplace must include a wide range of new benefits including wellness visits and preventative tests and treatments at no additional out-of-pocket cost.

• All full-time workers who work for companies with over 50 employees must be offered job based health coverage by 2015. Employers who do not offer coverage will pay a per-employee fee.

• Small businesses with under 50 full-time employees can use a part of the marketplace called the SHOP (small business health options program) to purchase group health plans for their employees.

• Small businesses with under 25 full-time employees can use the marketplace to purchase subsidized insurance for their employees.

• Medicare isn’t part of the marketplace. If you have Medicare keep it!

• Medicaid and CHIP are expanded to provide insurance to up to 16 million of our nations poorest.

• When you apply for the marketplace you’ll find out if you qualify for free or low-cost coverage from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). You’ll also be made aware if you qualify for Medicare.