While some politicians, pundits, and prognosticators have taken to the airwaves to claim that the Affordable Care Act is too complicated, cumbersome, and doomed to failure; people who are actually affected by the new law are excited about its implementation.  How do we know that?  They’re telling us.

MomsRising invited moms, dads, and grandparents, as well as bloggers, elected officials, and organizational leaders and others to share their thoughts and feelings about health reform on our web site.  The response has been overwhelming.  Across the country, families are breathing a collective sigh of relief knowing that loved ones who were previously unable to get health care or who were in danger of being cut off from health care will be able to get the treatment they need.

Today marks not only the six month anniversary of this important law, but also the day that a number of provisions go into effect that will curb health insurance industries worst abuses.  These new provisions include:

*             A ban on insurance companies discriminating against kids with pre-existing conditions;

*             A ban on insurance companies dropping people from coverage when they get sick;

*            And, a ban on insurance companies putting a lifetime limit on the amount of coverage they provide, so families can live with the security of knowing that their coverage will be there when they need it most.

These provisions are already making a huge difference in the lives of so many families in our nation, families whose voices are rarely heard but who've been struggling to meet the healthcare needs of their families, and they can now sleep better at night.

Check out these moving personal experiences here.  And take a moment (or two moments) to read these wonderful blogs from parents, policy experts, and other opinion leaders.

*Check out the links below and leave your thoughts in the comments below! We look forward to hearing from you.  And feel free to share the link to this blog carnival far & wide so others can learn more about their new rights too.

Today we celebrate new protections for health insurance consumers and we look forward to seeing this important law realize its promise to help keep our families and our nation healthier.  And to the politicians, pundits and prognosticators who want to repeal and defund this law, we say, “No way, no how!”

General Overview

*Six Months of the Affordable Care Act: Real rights, real protections, real benefits for real people, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

*10 Major New Health Reform Benefits Take Effect Today, Rep. John Larson

*Women Will Steer the Fate of Health Reform, Dora Calott Wang, MD

*What Will it Take to Get Health Insurance?, Athena Jones

*Putting the Law on Your Side: Six Month Health Care Law Anniversary, Stephanie Drahan and Thao Nguyen

Six Months Later: Top 10 Updates on Healthcare Reform and Implementation, Medicine e-Learning

The Cartoon Version of Health Reform, Health Access

Health Reform Implementation Timeline, Kaiser Family Foundation

Understanding the Health Insurance Exchange, Matthew Reiman

Children

*Kids Don't Have to Wait - Connecting Kids to Coverage Event Makes Case for Enrolling Kids Now, Jocelyn Guyer

*Increasing Poverty and Lack of Insurance Underscore Need to Keep Affordable Care Act Strong, Jocelyn Guyer

*Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act Addressing Infant Mortality, Brent Ewig

*Children's Lives Will Be Changed for the Better, Lisa Shapiro

Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan Announce National Coalition to Enroll Uninsured Kids in Health Care

COVERAGE: Everything You Need to Know About Dependents, Kavita Patel

Young Adults

*Young Invincibles- What Getting Covered Means for Young People, Aaron Smith

*Anger, Threats and Fear - six months later, Dawn Comer Jefferson

Implementing Health Reform: Young Adult Coverage, Timothy Jost

Health-care reform will help young adults get coverage, Timothy Chapman, Althea Fung, Allison Chopin

Special needs

Healthcare Reform is a Necessity, Not an Option, Laura Tellado

Health Care Reform: What Does it Mean for the Autism Community?

Health Care Reform: How Does it Affect People with Diabetes?, Kerri

Impact of Health Reform on Patient Mental Health Needs, Diana Lee

Pre-existing Conditions

Enrollment of Children with Pre-Existing Conditions

Health Reform Law's Pre-Existing Condition Plan Kicks In, Elder Law Answers

Interim Final Rule Addresses Eligibility, Premiums For Temporary High-Risk Program, Lauren Bikoff

The Ugly Roommate, Goldie Taylor

Business

Federal Health Reform: Impact on Small- and Medium-Sized Employers, Ashley Cohen, MPH

Report: Help On the Way for Small Business Employers and Employees, Stephen Majors

Health Reform is Good for Small Business Employees, Kate Pickert

Diagnosing President Obama's Health Reform Bill: How Will Dem Plan Change New Yorkers' Lives?, David Saltonstall

Parent Voices

*For All the Worrying Moms and Dads..., Donna Norton

*My Backyard Meeting with President Obama, Dawn Josephson

*Health Benefits Can Provide Real Benefits for My Friends Peter, Greta and baby Thomas, Ashley Boyd

How the "Affordable Care Act" Could Benefit All Mamas on Bedrest, Darline Turner-Lee

*Why Can't Health Reform Be Sexy?, Gloria Riesgo

*Will Work For Health Reform, Xochitl Oseguera

*Families Need More Health Care Options, Dariela Cruz

*Mama Grizzlies for Health Reform (Heck Yah, We're All Mama Grizzlies for our kids), Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

We’re improving people’s lives. If we don’t lose heart, the public will notice, Harold Pollack

Latinos

*Puerto Rico: Now, It's the Island's Turn to Work on Health Care, Natalia Bonilla

*Tenemos Que Seguir Luchando Por La Reforma de Seguro Médico, Luz Villafana

*The Fine Line, Liz Cerezo

Obama and Latinos Post Health Care Reform, Marcela Sanchez

Servicios de prevención gratis bajo nueva ley de salud, Vanessa Hand Orellana

Evelyn Rivera Speaks About Disparity in Health Care for the Hispanic Community, Hispanic Ohio

CuidadoDeSalud.gov

Lifetime and Annual Limits

The New Health Care Law and Annual and Lifetime Coverage Limits, Susan Jaffe

Three Terrifying Words: Lifetime Maximum Benefit, Timothy Foley

HHS Releases Guidance on Prohibition of Annual Limits, Mental Health Care Reform

Seniors

Seniors: Health Care Reform FACTS Regarding Medicare, Sharon Shaw Elrod

Health Care Reform: Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, Susan M. Nash, Amy M. Gordon, Joanna C. Kerpen

The Affordable Care Act’s Early Retiree Reinsurance Program

California

*California is Blazing a Trail On Establishing Health Insurance Exchange Under ACA, Michael Odeh and Kristen Golden Testa

*How will passage of Health Care Reform Act impact CA public health?, Kevin Reilly

*Health Care Reform and Breastfeeding, Saray Hill

*Banner Day for Nation's Children, Wendy Lazarus

*A Doctor's Rx For Healthy Children, Laura Mabie, MD

California Children's Health Initiatives Success Stories, CCHI

Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan now accepting applications, Cliff Sarkin

Need Health Insurance for Your Child?, Children Now

*Post featured on the MomsRising blog. Click these posts and leave your thoughts in the comments-- we'd love to hear from you. Thanks!