Maria Montaño of Donna, Texas, has finally been able to bring her diabetes under control, thanks to a health coach who checks on her every day and helps her with timing insulin doses. The coach was hired by a network of local primary care practices that joined together as a Medicare Shared Savings ACO, or accountable care organization. Such practices have reaped rewards from keeping patients like Montaño healthy.
In Ohio, Tanisha Richmond, a doctor, is no longer “walking a tightrope without a net,” now that she has health coverage through her state’s insurance marketplace. Although she could afford insurance even before the marketplace opened, Richmond had previously been denied coverage because of a preexisting condition.
These are just two of the stories you can read about in our two new multimedia features about Americans whose lives have been affected by the Affordable Care Act. We report on the efforts of the nurses, doctors, health system leaders, insurance navigators, and others who are helping people find affordable health coverage, improve the quality of care, and control costs.