What is the purpose of the "Affordable Care Act" (ACA)?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted with the primary aim of expanding insurance coverage and improving healthcare access across the United States. One of the key objectives of the ACA is to ensure that more individuals have access to affordable health insurance, thereby reducing the number of uninsured Americans. This is achieved through various means such as the establishment of health insurance marketplaces, the expansion of Medicaid, and the provision of subsidies to help lower-income families afford coverage. Additionally, the ACA includes provisions designed to enhance the quality of care, such as essential health benefits and consumer protections.

The other options do not accurately capture the comprehensive scope of the ACA. For instance, while reducing healthcare costs is an aspect of the ACA, it is not limited to governmental employees. Option C suggests that the ACA only limits insurance coverage to emergency services, which is not the case since it mandates coverage for a wide range of essential health benefits. Lastly, option D inaccurately describes the ACA as a means to deregulate the health insurance industry; in fact, the ACA introduced numerous regulations to ensure consumer protections and standardize certain aspects of health insurance offerings.