The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has published an article authored by the President on his assessment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The article reviews the factors influencing the President’s decision to pursue health reform, summarizes evidence on the effects of the law to date, recommends actions that could build on the progress we’ve made under the law to improve our health care system, and identifies general lessons for current and future policymakers.

This article is the culmination of a review of the ACA’s performance that started more than six months ago at the President’s request, examining areas in which the law has been successful and in which it could be further strengthened to ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.

The President presents evidence in JAMA to demonstrate the ways the law is working. This includes: sharply increasing insurance coverage and greatly improving coverage for those who already had it, which is improving Americans’ access to care, financial security, health and well-being; and shifting our health care system toward one that rewards doctors and hospitals for delivering efficient, high-quality care to patients, which has helped reduce hospital readmissions and deaths from hospital-acquired conditions and helped lower Medicare and private-sector health care spending.

The JAMA article is available for all to read here.