(BPT) - Health care reform is a hot topic, and not just for
candidates running for political office. The cost of health care
impacts the financial well-being of most Americans. Even though
you may have heard a lot about health care reform, you may be
wondering what it all means - or at least what it means for you
and your family. From the name of the health care reform law
itself, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (which is
often shortened to the acronyms PPACA or just ACA), to
terminology like “Individual Mandate” or “American Benefit
Exchanges” there’s plenty to be confused about. Starting in
2010, new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act rules,
called provisions, began to go into effect. PPACA focuses on
providing every American with quality health coverage they can
afford. Here are a few examples of provisions that have already
gone into effect: * Insurance plans must cover preventive care
such as routine physicals and immunizations at no cost to
consumers. * Emergency services must cos