Which act requires health plans to offer enrollment to individuals despite pre-existing conditions?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the legislation that mandates health plans to provide enrollment opportunities to individuals regardless of their pre-existing conditions. This was a major shift in healthcare policy, aimed at enhancing access to insurance coverage and ensuring that those with prior health issues would not be denied coverage or charged higher premiums based on their medical histories.

Prior to the ACA, many insurance companies could deny coverage or impose exclusions related to pre-existing conditions, leaving many individuals without the necessary healthcare protections. The ACA prohibits such practices, thereby promoting fair treatment and access to healthcare for all individuals, which is one of the cornerstone principles of the legislation. This helps create a more inclusive health insurance market, significantly improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations who may have faced discrimination previously due to their health status.

Other options such as the Medicare Act are specifically focused on providing health insurance to people aged 65 and older and does not address pre-existing conditions in the same context. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) primarily deals with the privacy and protection of health information rather than insurance enrollment rules. The title "Patient Protection Act" generally refers to the same intentions as the ACA but it's not the official term used in legislation for the specific requirements regarding pre-existing conditions. Thus,