Affordable Care Act Changes in the Medicare Program: More of the Same but Better

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, has made many changes in the Medicare program as part of comprehensive health reform for the US health care sector. This article reviews the changes that ACA is making and will make in the Medicare program in the years to come. Described in detail are the changes to improve the quality and efficiency of Medicare services as well as to improve program integrity and transparency. The article evaluates the current efforts of the Medicare program to reduce Medicare expenditures. The article concludes with an assessment of the potential effectiveness of these reforms to bend the proverbial cost curve and make the Medicare program sustainable over the long term.