A major problem in the U.S. health care system is the lack of affordable health insurance options for individuals and small businesses. These groups also have no easy way to compare plans in terms of premium cost, benefits and cost sharing, provider networks, or quality of care provided. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) seeks to address these problems by making private health insurance available to qualified small businesses and individuals through health insurance Exchanges beginning January 1, 2014.

The Affordable Care Act establishes “American Health Benefit Exchanges” (serving individuals) and “SHOP” Exchanges (serving small employer groups), to be operated by states that elect to establish exchanges for individuals and employer groups through which they can buy “qualified health plans.”