The official title of the law that’s being referred to as “health care reform” is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (“PPACA”).   Some of PPACA’s provisions are on a fast track toward implementation; others will be phased in more gradually.  The fast track pieces (“near term” provisions) are explained in a recently published report entitled PPACA: Consumer Recommendations for Regulators and Lawmakers that was written by a group consisting of these 21 organizations:

Health Access
United Policyholders
Office of Public Insurance Counsel/Texas
Center for Insurance Research
California Health Advocates
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Partnership for Women & Families
University of Georgia
Consumers for Affordable Health Care
American Cancer Society
Washington and Lee University School of Law
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
Health Care For All
Center for Public Policy Priorities
Center for Media and Democracy
Consumers Union
Equality State Policy Center
American Heart Association
American Diabetes Association
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative

Preparation of the report was coordinated by United Policyholders; production and graphics by Stefanay Allen of Dragoon Studios.  It has been distributed to NAIC leadership and staff, the Health and Human Services Administration and is publicly available online via a home page link from UP’s website.