Congress responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by passing the American Rescue Plan Act in early 2021. This $1.9 trillion spending bill was intended to provide relief and spark an economic recovery.
Among other provisions, the law expanded the availability of government-subsidized health care through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace to help low- to middle-income people maintain health coverage until the economy normalized. The Affordable Care Act is former President Barack Obama’s health care law, known as Obamacare.
