Which two laws make up the Affordable Care Act?

The Affordable Care Act is composed of two key pieces of legislation: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA). The primary purpose of these laws is to improve access to health insurance for Americans, implement reforms to the healthcare system, and provide protections for consumers.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March 2010, lays the groundwork for expanding coverage and establishes various consumer protections in health insurance. This includes provisions that require insurers to cover pre-existing conditions and the creation of health insurance marketplaces.

The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, passed shortly after the PPACA, mainly serves to modify certain provisions of the PPACA, including changes to federal student aid programs and adjustments in healthcare financing to support the goals of the ACA.

The other options reference laws that are not related to the Affordable Care Act. For instance, the Health Insurance Accountability Act does not exist in formal legislation related to the ACA, and while the Health Care Quality Improvement Act addresses medical malpractice issues, it is separate from the ACA's objectives of expanding healthcare access and reforms.