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Phasing In The Affordable Care Act

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - As challenges to the President's health care reform continue, so does the implementation of the law.

New provisions of the Affordable Care Act include a focus on insurance companies.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said insurers will be required to spend 50 cents of every dollar on medical care and quality improvements or to provide rebates to patients.

KCBS' Susan Kennedy Reports:

"Insurers will have to publicly disclose the share of the premium that they're spending on medical care. For the first time Americans really will have the chance to understand what they're getting," said Sebelius.

In addition, seniors on Medicare will have access to free preventative care and lower cost-prescription drugs. Consumers will also have more choices about doctors.

"They can choose any primary care physician or pediatrician in their health plan as a caregiver. Women will now have direct access to an OB-GYN and not have to go through a two-step process," she added.

While there are lawsuits and some in Congress that are intent on repealing what has become known as "Obama care", Secretary Sebelius said, "there's no turning back".

"We can't return to the days when over the last ten years, insurance charges went up 130 percent and people had less coverage and less options," said Sebelius.

While the Affordable Care Act remains under fire, Sebelius stated it could take a Supreme Court decision to uphold and that repealing the act would put the insurance companies back in charge.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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