What's at stake in a repeal of the ACA? Some things you may not have thought of...

The focus of Affordable Care Act is insurance coverage and that's what has been reported about most since the law was passed.  But there's much more to the 900 plus pages of the ACA.  It also includes many provisions that most people don't associate with "Obamacare."

Here is a list, in no particular order, of some of the provisions not directly related to insurance coverage that are at risk if the ACA is repealed:

• Closing the Medicare prescription drug donut hole.
• Calorie counts and nutrition information on chain restaurant menus.
• Privacy rooms and break time at work for nursing mothers.
• Community needs assessments by non-profit hospitals to justify their tax exemptions.
• Online posting of non-profit hospitals' financial assistance policies.
• Ability for women to choose their Ob-Gyn without a referral from another primary care physician.
• The actual cost of insurance coverage appears on large employer W-2 forms.
• Grants to communities to promote healthy lifestyles.
• Grants to small businesses to create workplace wellness programs.
• Grants to states, communities, and nonprofits for disease prevention and health education.
• Expansion of school-based health centers and community clinics.
• Increased rebates to states from pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Demonstrations and other programs to reduce health care costs, improve quality and delivery of services, and enhance value of care.
• Prohibits rescission, the practice of dropping a patient from insurance coverage when they get sick.
• Programs to detect and deter fraud in Medicare.
• Increased the deduction for qualifying medical expenses from 7.5% to 10% of adjusted gross income for taxpayers under age 65.
• Simplified and streamlined the income determination process for Medicaid eligibility.
• Expanded Medicaid eligibility for foster kids.
• Simplified insurance company explanation of benefits forms and outlawed small print (all print must be at least 12-point font).
• Open reporting by pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers of gifts and other payments to physicians to promote their products.

Many reports, blogs, and other analyses are being written about the direct impact that repeal of the ACA may have on insurance coverage (I may write about that myself).  Popular provisions like prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions and allowing dependents up to age 26 to remain on parents' insurance policies are at risk.

But much more is at risk, as well.  The ACA has contributed to making the health care system more affordable, more humane, and more transparent.  We shouldn't go backwards on these provisions.