If Republicans succeed in their declared intention to repeal the Affordable Care Act, there will be lots of consequences, many of which are already the stuff of nightmares to people who could be left without insurance coverage: no subsidies to help cover premiums, getting disqualified because of preexisting conditions, loss of coverage for dependents under the age of 26, rollbacks of Medicaid expansions, bare-bones policies that don't cover much, changes in the ways funds are disbursed by states.

And those are the ones we're pretty sure about. There are plenty more changes in store, depending on how legislators decide to pursue the process of repeal.

Recommended For You

But there are bound to be unintended consequences, too, as well as changes to — or elimination of — health items that many people rely on, even though they may not realize that those provisions originate from the ACA.

In fact, according to Kaiser Health News, the bill itself ran close to 2,000 pages, and many other provisions lurked within those pages that touch on "the health-related choices of nearly every American."

That being the case, KHN took a look at some of the lesser-known provisions of the ACA that have made lives easier for many families since the law's passage in 2010, pointing out that while "[s]ome of these measures are evident every day … [s]ome enjoy broad support, even though people often don't always realize they spring from the statute."

In the interests of expanding people's knowledge of additional possible changes to their health situation, here are the six provisions that could also disappear upon repeal of the ACA. Take advantage of them now, while you still can.

6. Calorie counts at restaurants and fast-food chains

Dining out? If you check for (and possibly actually use) the calorie counts that tell you how many calories your burger and fries contain, be prepared not to be able to do that anymore.

Some states already had rules requiring the disclosure of calorie counts that were similar to that in the ACA, which requires most restaurants and fast food chains with at least 20 stores to post calorie counts of menu items.

And while it's not clear whether diners actually change their behavior based on calorie counts (ordering salad rather than fries, for instance), the authors of a study done before the law took effect wrote that menu labeling is "a relatively low-cost education strategy that may lead consumers to purchase slightly fewer calories."

The restaurant industry was actually somewhat supportive of the rule, since it took the place — at least for now — of harsher measures designed to combat obesity, such as taxes on sugary foods or beverages.

5. Privacy for breastfeeding rooms

Mothers going back to work after giving birth are entitled, for up to a year after the birth, to have a private place to go to express breast milk — and that private place is not a restroom. In addition, employers are required to provide those mothers with break time to do so. And they can thank the ACA for requiring their employers to provide such an accommodation.

But that's not all the ACA does for breastfeeding mothers.

In addition to lowering the boom on employers, the law also requires most health plans to offer breastfeeding support and equipment, such as pumps, without a copayment, as well as counseling, for the duration of the breastfeeding.

4. Limits on surprise medical costs from hospital emergency room visits

If you've had to go to the emergency room but dread seeing the bill — either because the hospital isn't in your network, you aren't insured or simply don't have much money — you could get some help from this provision of the ACA, which requires all health plans to charge consumers the same copayments or coinsurance for out-of-network emergency care as they do for hospitals within their networks.

(Of course, you could still get stuck for "balance billing" — getting billed by the hospital for charges exceeding what your insurer will pay them — even when it's for treatment in the ER.)

Nonprofit hospitals are required by the ACA to post a written financial assistance policy online, detailing whether it provides free or discounted care and what's required to be eligible for such benefits. It also obliges hospitals to charge lower rates to patients who qualify for their financial assistance programs.

3. Nonprofit hospitals' community health assessments

Since 78 percent of hospitals are nonprofits, the ACA requires them to justify the tax exemptions granted them as nonprofits (which amounts to billions of dollars) by proving that they aid the health of the communities they serve.

Nonprofit hospitals must perform a community needs assessment for the areas they serve every three years. They are also required to develop and annually keep current the strategies they use to cover these needs, as well as to provide documentation to the IRS along with the rest of the annual reports they are required to provide. If they fail to do so, they're hit with a $50,000 penalty.

2. A woman's right to choose her OB/GYN

While most insurance plans don't require a woman to go through a primary care provider to get a referral for an obstetrician/gynecologist, and most states had laws to ensure this, self-insured plans — often provided by large employers — were exempt from this requirement. But the ACA changed that, requiring self-insured plans to permit direct access as well.

Advocates of the provision have said it makes it easier for women not only to get reproductive health care, but also related screenings for such things as high blood pressure or cholesterol.

1. Therapy coverage assurances for children with autism

Before the ACA, many insurers would provide rehabilitation therapy for people who had lost functions — such as walking or speaking after a stroke — but not therapy for autistic children to gain functions they didn't yet have, such as for speech that had not yet been learned, or to maintain current levels of functioning.

The ACA, however, requires insurers to provide habilitative care, as the latter therapies are known, and it requires them to do so as part of the essential health benefits in plans for individuals and small groups.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.