US Medical Term · insurance
ACA (Affordable Care Act)
ACA (Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible)
What it means
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the comprehensive health care reform law enacted in March 2010. HealthCare.gov describes three primary goals: to make affordable health insurance available to more people, to expand Medicaid, and to support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally. The law provides consumers with subsidies, called the premium tax credit, that lower costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. HealthCare.gov also has a glossary entry headed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which says the law was enacted on March 23, 2010 and amended on March 30, 2010, and the name "Affordable Care Act" refers to the final, amended version. HealthCare.gov notes that not all states have expanded their Medicaid programs.
ACA (Affordable Care Act) in Spanish
- Spanish term
- ACA (Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible)
- Gender and article
- feminine: la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible
- Pronunciation
- LAY deh kwee-DAH-doh deh sah-LOOD ah-seh-KEE-bleh
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA) | General | The name CuidadoDeSalud.gov uses as the title of its glossary entry for the law. |
| Ley de Protección al Paciente y Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio | General | Browser title of the CuidadoDeSalud.gov glossary page that mirrors HealthCare.gov's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act entry; the heading printed on the page itself is worded differently. |
The headword uses asequible for "affordable." CuidadoDeSalud.gov names the law differently: its glossary entry is titled Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA), keeping the abbreviation ACA. The same entry does use asequible in its definition, which says one goal is to make un seguro médico asequible available to more people. The Spanish dictionary defines asequible as "que puede conseguirse o alcanzarse." The glossary refers to the law as la ley, feminine, so either name takes la.
The CuidadoDeSalud.gov glossary page that mirrors HealthCare.gov's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act entry carries the browser title Ley de Protección al Paciente y Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio, while the heading printed on the page reads Medidas de protección para los pacientes y Ley del Cuidado de Salud de Bajo Precio. Words CuidadoDeSalud.gov uses with the law are seguro médico (health insurance), subsidios (subsidies), crédito tributario para la prima (premium tax credit), nivel federal de pobreza (federal poverty level), reducciones de costos compartidos (cost-sharing reductions) and expansión de Medicaid (Medicaid expansion). The program name Medicaid appears unchanged in the Spanish text.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I do not have health insurance. Can I get a plan through the Affordable Care Act? | No tengo seguro médico. ¿Puedo conseguir un plan por medio de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible? |
| Clinician | Did you get your plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace? | ¿Obtuvo su plan a través del Mercado de Seguros de Salud? |
| Patient | Yes, I enrolled during the open enrollment period. | Sí, me inscribí durante el período de inscripción abierta. |
| Patient | I get a tax credit that lowers my monthly premium. | Recibo un crédito tributario que reduce mi prima mensual. |
| Clinician | Do you have your insurance card with you today? | ¿Trae hoy su tarjeta del seguro? |
| Patient | My income changed this year. Could I qualify for Medicaid? | Mis ingresos cambiaron este año. ¿Podría calificar para Medicaid? |
| Clinician | Our financial counseling staff can help you check whether you qualify. | Nuestro personal de asesoría financiera puede ayudarle a averiguar si califica. |
| Patient | Where can I find information about the ACA in Spanish? | ¿Dónde puedo encontrar información sobre la ACA en español? |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | ACA (Affordable Care Act) |
| Spanish (Español) | ACA (Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible) |
| Chinese (中文) | 平价医疗法案 |
| Korean (한국어) | ACA (적정 의료비 부담법) |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | ACA (Đạo luật Chăm sóc Sức khỏe Giá cả phải chăng) |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ACA (Affordable Care Act) |
| Portuguese (Português) | ACA (Lei de Cuidados Acessíveis) |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | กฎหมาย ACA (Affordable Care Act) |
| Japanese (日本語) | ACA（医療費負担適正化法） |
Related terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Insurance and billing
All terms in this area: Insurance and billing — Seguro médico y facturación
Related guide
→ US Guide: how us health insurance worksSources
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) - Glossary — HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA) - Glosario — CuidadoDeSalud.gov, Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (CMS)
- Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - Glossary — HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Ley de Protección al Paciente y Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio - Glosario — CuidadoDeSalud.gov, Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (CMS)
- asequible — Diccionario de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / ASALE
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026