Many people are wondering what the new health care law, sometimes called Obama-care, means for them and their family. For a lot of people, nothing will change because they already have health insurance. But for others, getting health insurance means they will have far greater access to care.

Having health insurance means if you or a family member gets sick, you don’t have to worry about big medical bills or going into bankruptcy. And under the new health law, it means all health insurance plans will have to cover preventive care, including birth control and well-woman exams, without a co-pay. This is good news because we all benefit socially and economically from improved public health.

For many people living in the United States, insurance has been simply too expensive for too long. Now, millions of people who haven’t been able to afford insurance will get financial help. This is one of the wisest investments we can make in our future.

Nationwide nearly 12 million women between the ages of 19 and 44 will be eligible for health insurance coverage. Nearly 2 million African-American women and 2.5 million Latinas who are currently uninsured will soon have access health insurance which provides the opportunity to reduce health disparities in communities of color. In California, 1.7 million women between the ages of 19 and 44 will soon have access to health insurance, and communities of color represent 60% of the population but account for 75% of the uninsured. Millions of women will have access to health insurance for the first time – and that is simply groundbreaking.

There’s more good news. These new insurance plans cannot deny you coverage if you have a pre-existing condition – whether you’ve had a C-section, received treatment for breast cancer, or if you have diabetes.

Enrollment in new health insurance plans begins on October 1, and Planned Parenthood is educating young women about what the new health care law means for them.

As the leading women’s health care provider, Planned Parenthood is here to help women understand the law, and make sure they have the information they need to enroll and to know what to look for in a plan that will meet their needs.

For nearly 100 years, Planned Parenthood has been providing confidential, expert women’s health care – and that’s not changing. If you don’t have health insurance, we’ll be here to give you the care you need, and if you have insurance or plan to get it, you can also come to us for high-quality care.

If you have questions, please visit Planned.org/aca.