Non-partisan forum held to explain the Affordable Health Care Act, more popularly known as Obamacare.

Terms like "Obamacare" and "Health care reform" are often tossed around without clear definition or explanation of what they mean.

On Sunday afternoon, the York branch of the NAACP #2294 and York's Jewish Community Center co-sponsored a free, nonpartisan forum designed to explain the Affordable Health Care Act, more popularly known as Obamacare.

"There are a lot of facets to the Affordable Health Care Act that will affect individuals and families. The more familiar people are with what is included within the law, the more prepared they will be to make decisions," said Dr. Kenneth Woerthwein, a retired York-area physician who helped plan the event.

Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, senior policy advisor and former president of the National Physicians Alliance, offered an informed overview of the Affordable Health Care Act, which was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and will be fully implemented in January 2014.

"I think there is a lot of frightening misinformation regarding this new law, particularly with seniors. I encourage everyone to take an hour of their time and educate themselves," Arkoosh said.

She explained how the law will affect Medicare and Medicaid programs, and what changes will follow for seniors, families and individuals, especially women.

Afterward, she noted that those who already have access to health insurance and Medicare shouldn't notice many changes beyond minor adjustments. What

However, the law also allows for the creation of health insurance marketplaces, or "exchanges," where they can shop for affordable coverage, beginning on Oct. 1. Under the act, insurers can no longer deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and young adults can stay on parental insurance until age 26.

Arkoosh said that while the Affordable Health Care Act comes with a price tag of $1 trillion dollars, Americans spent $2.6 trillion on health care in 2012. Economists are hopeful that the law will have a "stabilizing" influence on the health care industry, she said.

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